Hridoy's career-best score in vain as Ireland thrash Tigers in 1st T20I

Bangladesh suffered a 39-run defeat to Ireland after a lacklustre showing with bat and ball in the opening T20I of the three-match series in Chattogram on Thursday.

The Tigers' top-order collapsed in chase of a 181-run target after Ireland batters, led by Harry Tector's unbeaten fifty, punished some wayward bowling.

The Tigers' innings imploded early as they slumped to 20 for 4 inside the Powerplay. Opener Tanzid Tamim (2 off 5) fell in the first over to left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys, continuing his inconsistent run. Skipper Liton Das lasted only two deliveries, slicing Mark Adair to backward point in the second over.

Adair struck again in his next over, removing Parvez Hossain Emon after the left-hander attempted an ambitious hoick despite three leg-side fielders waiting, dragging a short ball to deep mid-wicket. Newly appointed vice-captain Saif Hassan's struggles continued as he played around a delivery from Barry McCarthy and was bowled for six off 12 balls in the final over of the Powerplay.

Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali offered brief resistance, adding 48 runs for the fifth wicket, but the partnership lacked the momentum needed to revive the innings. Jaker's dismissal for 20 off 16 in the 12th over left Bangladesh staring at the inevitable. Hridoy, however, continued to fight, bringing up his fifth T20I fifty and finishing with a career-best 83 off 50 balls, an innings studded with seven fours and three sixes. But with little support from the other end, his knock was never enough to keep Bangladesh in the contest as they limped to 142 for 9.

Earlier, Ireland posted 181 for 4 after Tector anchored the innings with a superb unbeaten 69 off 45 deliveries. The visitors raced to 40 within four overs and reached 48 in the Powerplay despite losing captain Paul Stirling (21 off 18) to Tanzim Hasan Sakib in the fifth over. Tim Tector provided early impetus with a brisk 32 off 19, laced with six fours, before Rishad Hossain struck in the ninth over.

Lorcan Tucker (18 off 14) and Curtis Campher (24 off 17) kept the scoreboard moving, but it was Harry Tector who held the innings together, smashing five sixes and a four in a commanding display. George Dockrell chipped in with an unbeaten 12 off seven balls to push Ireland beyond 180.

Bangladesh's bowlers struggled throughout on a good batting surface. Mustafizur Rahman remained economical with 23 runs off his four overs, though he went wicketless. Tanzim picked up two wickets but conceded 41 runs, while Shoriful Islam gave away 42 for one. Rishad also proved expensive, finishing with 1 for 34.

Tigers crumble in Powerplay as Ireland turn on the heat 

A top-order meltdown saw Bangladesh's batting crumble as they finished the Powerplay at 20-4 in pursuit of Ireland's 181-4 in the first T20I of the three-match in Chattogram on Thursday.

Opener Tanzid Tamim (two off five balls) continued his habit of bowling hot and cold and departed in the very first over of the innings, giving left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys his first wicket. Skipper Litton Das lasted only two balls before slicing one to backward-point in the very next over bowled by pacer Mark Adair. 

Adair, in his next over, got his second when Parevz Emon's ego got the best of him. The left-hander took Adair on and looked to hoick him over cow corner despite three fielders patrolling the leg side. He dragged a short delivery from outside off and found the fielder at deep mid wicket.

Newly-appointed vice-captain Saif Hassan played all around it when he got castled in the last over of the Powerplay bowed by pacer Barry McCarthy after a 12-ball six. 

Towhid Hridoy (six off eight balls) and Jaker Ali (one off one) were unbeaten in the middle tasked with rescuing Bangladesh. 

Tector hits fifty as Ireland post 181

Bangladesh endured a difficult outing as their bowlers failed to dislodge Ireland batter Harry Tector, who struck an unbeaten 45-ball 69 to power the visitors to 181 for 4 on a true surface in the first T20I in Chattogram on Thursday.

Ireland got off to a flying start, racing to 40 in the first four overs. Pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib removed skipper and opener Paul Stirling (21 off 18) in the fifth over, but the Irish still managed to post 48 in the Powerplay. The other opener, Tim Tector, was the early aggressor, cracking six fours in a brisk 19-ball 32 before falling to Rishad Hossain in the ninth over.

Lorcan Tucker (18 off 14) and Curtis Campher (24 off 17) kept the innings ticking, but it was Harry Tector who held the innings together, launching five sixes and a solitary four in a commanding knock that carried Ireland past the 180 mark. George Dockrell added late impetus as well, hitting two boundaries in an unbeaten seven-ball 12.

Bangladesh's bowlers struggled throughout, with only veteran Mustafizur Rahman managing to keep things tight. Although wicketless, he conceded just 23 runs in his four overs. Tanzim picked up two wickets but leaked 41 runs, while Shoriful Islam gave away 42 for his single scalp. Rishad also proved expensive, finishing with figures of 1 for 34.

Tanzim dismisses Stirling after Ireland get brisk start 

Bangladesh pacer Tanzim Sakib managed to get rid of Ireland skipper Paul Stirling after the Irish got off to a brisk start in the first T20I of the three-match series in Chattogram on Thursday.

The visitors had managed 40 runs in their first 40 overs after being put into bat first before Stirling went for one shot too many and skied one towards the short-midwicket region in the fifth over. Saif Hassan kept his eyes on the ball and made sure to hold onto a teasing one. Stirling had four boundaries for his departing for an 18-ball 21. 

After the Powerplay, Ireland were 48-1. Opener Tim Tector, the aggressor in the opening stand, remained unbeaten on 20 off 11 balls and was joined by Harry Tector who was not out on a run-a-ball seven. 

Bangladesh bowl first in 1st Ireland T20I

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first in the first of three T20Is against Ireland in Chattogram today.

The hosts have picked a predictable XI, with five frontline bowling options -- three pacers in Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Shoriful Islam, and two spinners in Rishad Hossain and Nasum Ahmed.

Bangladesh have gone with three opening options in the XI with Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Saif Hassan.

The Litton Das-led T20I side is coming into the series on the back of a 3-0 whitewash against West Indies in Chattogram last month.

This is the Tigers' final international series before next year's ICC T20 World Cup, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.

Earlier, the hosts whitewashed the visitors 2-0 in the Test series.

Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Litton Das (c), Tawhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.

Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Tim Tector, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little