DHAKA: Liton Das smashed a Twenty20 career-best 73 as Bangladesh stunned world champions England to sweep the series 3-0 Tuesday in a massive upset in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
In a major humiliation for England’s normally clinical white ball unit ahead of the 50-over World Cup in India later this year, Bangladesh won the third and final T20 in Dhaka by 16 runs.
Bangladesh had taken the first game by six wickets and the second by four wickets to give the home side their first series victory over defending T20 and ODI World Cup champions England in any format.
“It’s really disappointing obviously to lose but congratulations to Bangladesh. They outplayed us and they deserve their victory,” said England captain Jos Buttler.
Set 159 to win after winning the toss and opting to bowl, England managed only 142 for the loss of six wickets despite a strong start as Taskin Ahmed took 2-26.
Debutant Tanvir Islam dismissed Phil Salt for a duck in the very first over.
But Dawid Malan, who survived on review after being given out lbw for six, and Buttler looked to be cruising, putting England on track with a second-wicket stand of 95.
Mustafizur Rahman added the first twist in the contest by removing Malan for 53, which brought him his 100th T20I wicket.
Buttler was soon run out for 40 with a direct hit from Mehidy Hasan that brought Bangladesh firmly back into the contest and got the crowd going. Buttler admitted that his dismissal “potentially cost (us) the game.”
“(I was) really disappointed in myself for not diving and not making my ground. You know you should be fully committed to making that run,” Buttler said after the match.
Taskin claimed the wickets of Moeen Ali (nine) and Ben Duckett (11) before Shakib Al Hasan got rid of Sam Curran (four) to complete the rout.
Put into bat, opener Liton had given Bangladesh a positive start, putting on 55 runs with Rony Talukdar in the opening stand.
England’s first breakthrough came when Adil Rashid dismissed Rony for 24 but Najmul Hossain and Liton added 84 runs for the second wicket to keep up momentum.
England missed a chance to dismiss Liton soon after the right-hander completed his ninth T20I half-century when Duckett dropped him on 51 at deep mid-wicket off Jofra Archer.
Score Board
England won the toss
Bangladesh Innings
Das † c Salt b Jordan 73
Talukdar c & b Rashi 24
Najmul Hossain not out 47
Shakib Al Hasan (c) not out 4
Extras: (lb 3, nb 1, w 6) 10
Total: 20 Ov 158/2
Did not bat: Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Tanvir Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman
Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Rony Talukdar, 7.3 ov), 2-139 (Litton Das, 16.6 ov)
Bowling: Sam Curran 4-0-28-0, Chris Woakes 1-0-12-0, Adil Rashid 4-0-23-1, Jofra Archer 4-0-33-0,
Rehan Ahmed 3-0-26-0, Moeen Ali 1-0-12-0, Chris Jordan 3-0-21-1
England Innings
Malan c †Litton b Mustafizur 53
Salt st †Litton b Tanvir 0
Buttler (c)† run out Mehid 40
Duckett b Taskin Ahmed 11
Moeen c Mehidy b Taskin Ahmed 9
Curran c Tanvir b Shakib 4
Chris Woakes not out 13
Chris Jordan not out 2
Extras: (b 2, lb 6, w 2) 10
Total: 20 Ov 142/6
Did not bat: Adil Rashid, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Phil Salt, 0.3 ov), 2-100 (Dawid Malan, 13.1 ov), 3-100 (Jos Buttler, 13.2 ov), 4-119 (Moeen Ali, 16.2 ov), 5-123 (Ben Duckett, 16.6 ov), 6-128 (Sam Curran, 18.1 ov)
Bowling: Tanvir Islam 2-0-17-1, Taskin Ahmed 4-0-26-2, Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-30-1, Hasan Mahmud 4-0-29-0, Mustafizur Rahman 4-0-14-1, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 2-0-18-0
Result: Bangladesh won by 16 runs
Player of the match: Najmul Hossain Shantu
Umpires: Sharfuddoula, Tanvir Ahmed
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