Bangladesh swept the one-day international series in the Caribbean by winning the third match against a depleted West Indies bowling attack by four wickets on Saturday.
Bangladesh was favored to win an 11th con-secutive ODI against the West Indies, especially after bowling out the home side in the 49th over for 178, its best total of the series.
The West Indies was handicapped further when allrounder Keemo Paul pulled a hamstring and didn’t bowl, and part-time medium-pacer Rovman Powell suffered a side strain after delivering 11 balls.
The West Indies used seven bowlers, but after spinner Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai used up his 10 overs for a team-best 4-23, Bangladesh strolled to the win at 179-6 with nine balls to spare.
While Bangladesh respected Motie-Kanhai, who claimed captain Tamim Iqbal, caught and bowled Liton Das, bowled Afif Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain, the batters comfortably took runs off eve-ryone else.
Tamim got 34 before miscuing a sweep to fine leg and Liton pushed the scoring with 50 off 65 balls.
Mosaddek charged Motie-Kanhai and hit straight to the long off fielder to leave Bangladesh on a worrying 116-5. But Motie-Kanhai was finished, and Mahmudullah, 26, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 16 not out, stayed calm and collected the runs.
Bangladesh made one inspired change from the second ODI, giving spinner Taijul Islam his first international match on the tour ahead of pacer Shoriful Islam. Taijul took a career-best 5-28 in 10 overs.
He bowled Brandon King with his third ball and got Shai Hope stumped with his 11th.
Shamarh Brooks was trapped by lone pacer Mustafizur Rahman in the next over and West Indies was 16-3.
Mosaddek and Nasum Ahmed returned and Me-hidy was introduced and West Indies crawled to 23-3 after 12 overs.
Captain Nicholas Pooran and Keacy Carty, in for Kyle Mayers, spread the ball around for 33 off the next six overs but Carty fell to Nasum and the run rate dropped back.
Pooran’s ninth fifty was his slowest, in 93 balls, and he was eighth man out to Taijul for 73 off 109 balls.
Taijul, Mustafizur and Mosaddek strangled the home side by bowling a combined 29 overs at less than three per over.
The ODI series was consolation for Bangladesh after losing the test and Twenty20 series.—AFP
