KHULNA, Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal and Naeem Islam scored half-centuries while Sohag Gazi took four wickets as Bangladesh beat the West Indies by seven wickets in the first one-day match in Khulna yesterday.
Iqbal smashed a 51-ball 58 studded with eight fours and two sixes while Islam finished with an unbeaten 50 as the hosts achieved a modest 200-run target with 9.2 overs to spare, for a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Gazi took 4-29, the best figures by a Bangldeshi bowler on one-day debut, to restrict the West Indies to 199 after they won the toss and opted to bat.
Iqbal and Anamul Haque (41) put on a soild 88-run opening stand to ensure the hosts, who were missing key all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan through injury, did not spoil the good work by their bowlers. Iqbal thumped West Indian spearhead Kemar Roach for two fours and a six in one over to reach his 24th one-day fifty before playing straight into the hands of point off spinner Sunil Narine.
Haque hit seven boundaries off 62 balls before giving a return catch to Darren Sammy.
Islam, who hit six fours in his sedate 79-ball knock, shared a 45-run third wicket stand with Nasir Hossain (28) as the hosts comfortably registered a sweet comeback win after losing the Test series 2-0.
Earlier, 21-year-old off-spinner Gazi derailed the West Indians by dismissing Chris Gayle off the second ball of his one-day career for 35 and had Marlon Samuels (nought) in his second over.
Gayle gave the West Indies a sound 48-run start with Lendl Simmons (13).AFP
