Bangladesh beat Ireland by 22 runs in the first T20 International of the three-match series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Monday.
Rony Talukdar's 38-ball 67 helped set up a mammoth 207 for the Tigers but the target for Ireland was revised to 108 (DLS method) to be chased in eight overs after rain interrupted play.
Ireland's batting reply began with a flying start as they managed 32 runs inside the first three overs but Taskin Ahmed fabulous bowling picked up three wickets in the fourth over of the innings to knock out the Irish.
The 27-year-old bowler pick up another wicket in his next over and finished with figures of four for 16 as the Tigers restricted Ireland to 81 for five to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Earlier the Irish captain won the toss and decided to field first and sent Bangladesh to bat first in the flat wicket.
The dazzling openers smashed a quickfire record 81 runs in the first power play in the T20 cricket when 20 runs came in the sixth over.
Liton Das, who was brilliantly batting with confidence, unfortunately got out for 47 from 23 deliveries featuring the electrifying innings with four 4s and three 6s.
Ireland got the first break through with the wicket of Litton Das, when he tried to drive over midwicket a slower delivery from medium pacer Craig Young but the ball went high in the air at mid-off region and Paul Stirling took an easy catch, Bangladesh lost first wicket for 91 by 7.1 overs.
Nazmul Hossain Shanto who joined Rony Talukder after Litton’s departure, could not go far as he was stumped trying to play an on-drive. He was beaten on the air off a Harry Tector’s delivery round the stumps for 14 of 13 balls.
After sending Litton Das and one down Shanto, Ireland struck the big blow when Graham Hume terminated dazzling Rony Talukder.
Rony after cracking a boundary to Hume of his fifth ball of third over, tried to hit another one but was bowled as he could not connect the slow ball and hit the stumps.
Rony’s 67 runs knock came off only 38 balls with hammering seven fours and three sixes.
Despite losing the vital wickets, 30 off 20 balls by Shamim Hossain and 20 0ff 13 balls from Shakib Al Hassan, Bangladesh managed to cross the 200 runs mark for fourth time.
After almost a two-hour delay, Ireland chasing to a tough target went on the attack from the start of their innings, scoring 32 runs off their opening third overs with Nasum Ahmed conceded 18 runs in his lone over.
Ireland batters, when looking threatening to make the impossible task possible, Hassan Mahmud made the first breakthrough with taking Ross Adiar’s wicket.
Taskin Ahmed struck with his first ball with bowling out Lorcan Tucker just for one run.
Tasking in his devastating spell just collapsed the Ireland when he took two wickets in two successive balls to reduce them to 40 runs for four by 3.5 overs.
Taskin again struck with sending Harry Tector, the highest scorers with 19 off 12 balls, from that disaster Ireland could not get rid of and finally scored 81 runs in their stipulated eight overs.