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DHAKA, March 19: Skipper Mohammad Ashraful returned to form with an unbeaten 64 as Bangladesh avenged their 2007 World Cup loss to Ireland with a convincing eight-wicket win in Mirpur on Tuesday.
Shahriar Nafees also excelled with an undefeated 90 as the hosts reached their target of 186 in the 40th over. The left-handed opener’s 121-ball innings included 11 boundaries.
Ashraful’s 64 off 90 deliveries were spiced with eight fours as he Shahriar put 130 for the unbroken third-wicket partnership.
Earlier, Ireland mustered 185-7 in their 50 overs after choosing to bat first at the Shere Bangladesh National Stadium with Alex Cusack top-scoring with 38 after the visitors stumbled to 115-6 in the 35th over.
Scoreboard
IRELAND:
W.T.S. Porterfield c Ghosh b Mashrafe 1
R. Strydom c Ghosh b Mashrafe 8
E.J.G. Morgan b Farhad 35
N.J. O’Brien c Farhad b Mahmudullah 15
K.J. O’Brien lbw b Saqibul 20
A.C. Botha run out 22
A.R. Cusack c Farhad b Mashrafe 38
D.T. Johnston not out 31
D. Langford-Smith not out 3
EXTRAS (B-5, LB-4, W-3) 12
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 185
FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-20, 3-43, 4-81, 5-97, 6-115, 7-180.
DID NOT BAT: W.K. McCallan, G.J. Thompson.
BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 10-4-22-3; Abdur Razzak 10-0-36-0 (1w); Mahmudullah 10-0-31-1 (1w); Saqibul Hasan 10-1-38-1; Farhad Reza 10-0-49-1 (1w).
BANGLADESH:
Tamim Iqbal c Thompson b L’ford-Smith 13
Shahriar Nafees not out 90
Aftab Ahmed c Strydom b Johnston 11
Mohammad Ashraful not out 64
EXTRAS (W-8) 8
TOTAL (for two wkts, 39.5 overs) 186
FALL OF WKTS: 1-25, 2-56.
DID NOT BAT: Saqibul Hasan, Raqibul Hasan, Dhiman Ghosh, Farhad Raza, Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Mahmudullah.
BOWLING: K.J. O’Brien 5-0-30-0 (2w); Langford-Smith 7-0-49-1 (5w); Johnston 6-1-17-1 (1w); Botha 6-1-20-0; McCallan 8-0-28-0; Cusack 3.5-0-16-0; Thompson 4-0-26-0.
RESULT: Bangladesh won by eight wickets.
UMPIRES: Enamul Haque (Bangladesh) and T.J. Wijewardene (Sri Lanka).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mashrafe Mortaza.
SECOND ODI: Mirpur on Thursday.
THIRD ODI: Mirpur on Saturday.
—Agencies
