Bangladesh hunt down WI with 2nd-best WC chase

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Shakib stars in the comeback with 124 not out

TAUNTON, England, June 17, (AP): Bangladesh achieved the second-highest run chase in Cricket World Cup history and pushed the West Indies close to elimination in a surprisingly comfortable seven-wicket victory on Monday.

When West Indies surged to post 321-8, it knew every team making 300-plus batting first had won in this World Cup. Eight times out of eight.

But Bangladesh treated the fact like fluff on a shirt, flicking it off as it strolled to 322-3 to win with 51 balls to spare.

Shakib Al Hasan starred in the comeback with 124 not out, his second successive century in the tournament, and Liton Das added 94 not out in his World Cup debut. They combined for an unbeaten 189 in 22.3 overs.

Bangladesh’s second precious win in five matches lifted it into the top half of the standings. The mission to make a first World Cup semifinal received a massive boost.

The deflated West Indies, however, dropped to one win in five, and a hard road ahead against New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to reach the semifinals for the time in 23 years.

Shakib sliced apart a pedestrian West Indies attack with pulls and cuts off the back foot, and some luck. He top edged three times over the wicketkeeper and should have been out on 55, but keeper Shai Hope, running backward, and Shannon Gabriel, coming forward, didn’t communicate and both backed off as the ball fell between them.

Other shots by Shakib and Das landed near fielders who made little effort to go for them, the batsman gradually stripping hope from the West Indies, which was reduced to long faces, heads down and thousand-yard stares.

Meanwhile  England captain Eoin Morgan is optimistic his big-hitting opener Jason Roy will recover from injury in time to play the Cricket World Cup game against defending champion Australia next week.

Roy hobbled off after injuring his left hamstring while fielding in England’s win over West Indies at Southampton last Friday and medical scans showed a tear in the muscle. He has already been ruled out of games this week against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, which England is expected to win.

“I certainly believe Jason will play again in this tournament,” Morgan said on Monday.

He declinedg to speculate on which candidates could be drafted into England’s 15-man squad if Roy is ruled out. Morgan said he “absolutely” believed Roy could return to play an important role in the World Cup.

“If not (against) Australia, maybe the following game,” Morgan said. “It’s a matter of giving him enough time to allow him to get himself back into the tournament.”

Top-ranked England is playing Australia at Lord’s next Tuesday and then takes on No. 2-ranked India five days later in Birmingham, two games which are a critical test of the host team’s status as the title favorite.

Roy was staying with the squad, Morgan said, because he was a key player and because medical and team staff were “very optimistic” he’d make a relatively quick recovery.

Morgan also had to leave the field against West Indies after having muscle spasms in his back, but said his condition was improving and he was expecting to lead England against Afghanistan at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

“Drastically improved. I’ve had extensive treatment and medication which has helped me no end,” he said. “I’ve had a small hit in the net. Aiming to play tomorrow.”

James Vince will open for England against Afghanistan. Joe Root scored an unbeaten 100 in the eight-wicket win over West Indies, sharing an opening stand of 95 with Jonny Bairstow, who scored 45, and 104 with Chris Woakes, who batted at No. 3.

The injury to Roy prompted questions to Morgan about a possible recall for Alex Hales, who was withdrawn from England’s World Cup squad following what officials described as an “off-field incident” that led to a suspension.

At the time, Morgan said a group of senior players met and agreed that Hales be “deselected,” saying the batsman showed a disregard for team values and “this has created a lack of trust between Alex and the team.”

On Monday, Morgan said selectors always had “conversations ongoing in the background” regarding potential replacement players.

“I’ve not been part of any discussion because I’ve been fairly focused on managing players and everything,” he said when asked about a recall for Hales. “I don’t know.”

West Indies vs Bangladesh Results/Standings

TAUNTON, England, June 17, (AP): Scoreboard on Monday of the Cricket World Cup group match between the West Indies and Bangladesh at Taunton County Ground:

WEST INDIES

C. Gayle c Mushfiqur b Saifuddin 0

E. Lewis sub (Sabbir) b Shakib     70

S. Hope c Liton b Mustafizur       96

N. Pooran c Soumya b Shakib     25

S. Hetmyer c Tamim b Mustafizur               50

A. c Mushfiqur b Mustafizur       0

J. Holder c Mahmudullah b Saifuddin          33

D. Bravo b Saifuddin  19

O. Thomas not out    6

Extras: (16w, 6lb)       22

TOTAL: (for 8 wickets)                321

Overs: 50

Did not bat: Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-122, 3-159, 4-242, 5-243, 6-282, 7-297, 8-321

Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 8-1-37-0, Mohammad Saifuddin 10-1-72-3, Mustafizur Rahman 9-0-59-3, Mehidy Hasan 9-0-57-0, Mosaddek Hossain 6-0-36-0, Shakib Al Hasan 8-0-54-2.

BANGLADESH

Tamim Iqbal run out  48

S. Sarkar c Gayle b Russell           29

S. Al Hasan not out     124

M. Rahim c Hope b Thomas        1

Liton Das not out       94

Extras: (25w, 1b)       26

Total: (322 for 3 wickets)

Overs: 41.3

Did not bat: Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehedi Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman

Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-121, 3-133

Bowling: Sheldon Cottrell 10-0-65-0, Jason Holder 9-0-62-0, Andre Russell 6-0-42-1, Shannon Gabriel 8.3-0-78-0, Oshane Thomas 6-0-52-1, Chris Gayle 2-0-22-0.

Standings

            P          W         L          NR        T            NRR     Pts

Australia   5              4              1              0              0                +0.812     8

New Zealand             4              3              0              1              0                +2.163     7

India         4              3              0              1              0                +1.029     7

England    4              3              1              0              0                +1.557     6

Bangladesh               5              2              2              1              0                -0.270      5

Sri Lanka   5              1              2              2              0                -1.778      4

West Indies               5              1              3              1              0                +0.272     3

South Africa              5              1              3              1              0               -0.208       3

Pakistan    5              1              3              1              0               -1.933       3

Afghanistan              4              0              4              0              0                 -1.638     0 

Note: Standings read as played, won, loss, no results, tie, net run rate and points.

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