Bangladesh secured a 22-run victory over Ireland in a rain-affected first Twenty20 international in Chittagong. Bangladesh posted 207-5 in 19.2 overs before rain halted their innings, forcing match officials to set Ireland a revised target of 104 runs in eight overs. Ireland made a flying start to their run chase with 18 runs in the first over, but Taskin Ahmed’s three-wicket burst in the fourth over slowed them down. Ahmed finished with 4-16, his career-best figures in T20Is. Rony Talukdar’s career-best 67 from 38 balls powered Bangladesh to a strong total.
Talukdar put on 91 runs in just seven overs in an opening stand with Liton Das, who made 47 off 23 balls. Ireland were hoping to put the brakes on Bangladesh’s scoring spree once Graham Hume bowled Rony, who smacked seven fours and three sixes in his maiden T20I fifty. However, Shamim Hossain’s 20-ball 30 and Shakib Al Hasan’s 20 not out off 13 balls helped Bangladesh race past the 200-run mark before rain brought a premature end. The game was Bangladesh’s first T20I at home against Ireland, who have rested regular skipper Andrew Balbirnie for the three-match series. Bangladesh won the preceding three-match one-day international series 2-0.
Taskin Ahmed’s three-wicket burst in the fourth over slowed Ireland down, and he finished with 4-16, his career-best figures in T20Is. Rony Talukdar’s career-best 67 from 38 balls powered Bangladesh to a strong total. Ireland made a flying start to their run chase with 18 runs in the first over, but they finished with 81-5 despite the strong start. Bangladesh won the preceding three-match one-day international series 2-0 and secured a 22-run victory over Ireland in the first Twenty20 international in Chittagong.
Keywords: Bangladesh, Ireland, Twenty20 international, Taskin Ahmed, Rony Talukdar, rain-affected, Chittagong, career-best figures, one-day international series.