The USA cricket team scripted history at the Prarie View Cricket Complex in Dallas on Thursday (May 23) as it beat Bangladesh in the 2nd T20I by six runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The thrilling triumph has helped the USA register their first-ever series win over a full-member nation.
Chasing just 145 to win in 20 overs, the Bangla Tigers were jolted early as they lost Soumya Sarkar on just the fourth delivery of their innings. Tanzid Hasan, the other opener, also fell cheaply (at an individual score of 19) inside the powerplay.
With 30/2, Bangladesh needed a rescue act and it came from their skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and the half-centurion of the previous game, Towhid Hridoy.
The pair stitched a 48-run stand for the third wicket but consumed 37 balls in the process. While the idea must have been to compensate for the dot balls later on in the innings, it never came to fruition.
A terrible miscommunication in the middle cost Shanto his wicket as Corey Anderson ran him out at an individual score of 36 runs off 24 balls. Hridoy also departed 13 balls later and Bangladesh got themselves in a hole again.
Shakib Al Hasan was the only ray of hope for the Bangladesh cricket fans but he too fell at a score of 30 off 23 balls on the first delivery of the 18th over.
The USA bowlers displayed exemplary discipline and restricted the tourists to just 138 in 19.3 overs to give their country their biggest win in history.
Left-arm medium-pacer Saurabh Netravalkar bowled exceedingly well and snared two scalps while conceding just 15 runs in three overs. Allrounder Shadley van Schalkwyk also chipped in with two wickets and conceded just 21 runs in his four-over quota.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh opted to field first after winning the toss and operated with aplomb to limit the USA batters to just 144. Skipper Monank Patel was the highest run-getter for the team with 42 off 38 balls.
Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain picked up three wickets each.
