SK play of the day: Bangladesh's collapse gifts England first ODI

England took on Bangladesh in the first ODI of the three-game series at Dhaka. Always a tough side to beat at home, Bangladesh looked good to win the first ODI comprehensively till the 41^st over of their chase, but had a spectacular collapse to hand England the win the first ODI. Winning the toss, England chose to bat and got off to a quick start with openers Jason Roy and James Vince putting on 41 for the first wicket. Bangladesh clawed their way back with three quick wickets, but debutant Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes put on a fine partnership of 153 runs to take England to a position where they could set up a commanding total. Jos Buttler provided some lusty blows lower down the order, scoring 68 of 38 balls, and took England to a total of 309. For Bangladesh Mashrafe Mortaza, Shafiul Islam and Shakib ul Hasan took two wickets each.

Chasing 309, Bangladesh started positively with Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes going after the bowling. Once Tamim got out, it seemed Kayes had taken the onus on himself to take Bangladesh to a win, as he went on to score a fine hundred, a score of 112 in only 119 deliveries, including 11 fours and two sixes. Kayes was receiving great support from the other end by vetaran Shakib Al Hasan, who was taking the pressure away from Kayes by scoring boundaries at regular intervals.

At one stage, Bangladesh were 271 for 4, needed just 39 from 51 balls. With Kayes and Shakib in the middle, the game was in Bangladesh’s control, and they looked set to win comfortably. The ball was in Bangladesh’s court with the two batsmen in the middle looking in ominous form, and it seemed as if the only way Bangladesh could lose the game is if they commit an act of harakiri.

On the third ball of the 42^nd over, Jake Ball, who was making his debut, pitched one short to Shakib, who went for the pull but was unable to keep it down, getting out caught at mid-wicket. Although Shakib’s wicket gave England a glimmer of hope, the game still looked in the favour of the home side, with Kayes and Mosaddek Hossain in the middle and Mashrafe Mortaza, who has the ability to bat, yet to come.

But on the very next delivery, Mosaddek Hossain bottom edged a delivery by Ball that nipped back onto his stumps, giving Ball two in two, causing stadium silence in a packed stadium.

In the next over, Mortaza nicked a short ball by Adil Rashid to Buttler, and it seemed as if the match had turned on its head. England further tightened the screws on Bangladesh, giving away just 8 runs in the next two over, and building the pressure on the home side.

On the first ball of the 45^th over, the centurion Kayes tried to use his feet to increase the run-rate, but Abdul smartly bowled it wide, and Buttler did the rest, stumping Kayes for 119.

With five overs left, Bangladesh were struggling at 280 for 8, even though they were 271 for 4 just three overs back. The tides had turned. Some mindless batting, coupled with smart bowling had taken England to a position of a victory, that had looked highly unlikely fifteen minutes ago.

Rashid kept himself in the game in the very next over, getting rid of Shafiul Islam with a superb direct hit from mid-off. The game was all but lost for Bangladesh by then.

Jake Ball returned to dismiss Mosharraf Hossain in the 48^th over, giving him a famous five-for on debut. Bangladesh were all out for 288, losing six wickets in a span of 17 runs.

Bangladesh, who once looked as if will reach the target with utmost ease, lost the game with some self-inflicted damage. England, who were down and out during most parts of Bangladesh’s chase, came back miraculously and snatched the game from the jaws of defeat.