Miraz, Shanto heroics seal historic T20I series win over world champions

The Tigers have won a number of T20I series at home in recent years. The wins against Australia and New Zealand in back-to-back series in 2021 were probably the biggest so far. But on Sunday, Bangladesh beat the world champions by four wickets and clinched the T20I series keeping a game in hand. Playing first-ever bilateral T20I series against England in 17 years, who are not only the current T20 World Cup champions but also hold the title of 50-over World Cup, and winning it convincingly has to be the biggest of them all. This is also Bangladesh's first-ever bilateral series win in any format.

Najmul Hossain Shanto's unbeaten 46-run innings and Mehidy Hasan Miraz's career-best bowling paved the way for the Tigers for the historic series win.

Chasing 118, Bangladesh lost two early wickets within the first six overs. Litton Das was the first to depart as his poor form continued in the series. He bagged nine off nine balls. His opening partner Rony Talukdar also bagged nine runs but he faced 14 balls before getting out. 

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy then built a 29-run partnership before Hridoy gave away his wicket rather cheaply. Hridoy did hit some boundaries before becoming Rehan Ahmed's first T20I wicket. 

The required run rate was climbing to seven, but Miraz took on Adil Rashid in the 14th over for a maximum to bring it down to less than six. Shanto survived two close calls in the very same over, one an LBW shout, and another missed his stumps by some inches. 

Miraz took on Moeen Ali in the next over and struck another maximum before Shanto hit a boundary to make life easier for the Tigers. Bangladesh needed only 23 from the final 30 balls.

Miraz departed in the 16th over, but he did his job by then, scoring 20 off 16 balls. 

Then entered skipper Shakib, with a series to win over the world champions. But he went for a duck and made the match somewhat interesting. 

Afif Hossain failed to utilize the opportunity to win the match as he was bowled by an unplayable Archer delivery. It left Bangladesh needing 13 off the last two overs. 

But Shanto remained calm on the other end. 

Chris Jordan came to bowl is first over in the 19th over of the innings. Shanto hit a boundary in the first ball of his over to make it nine needed from 11 balls. Taskin then hit two boundaries in consecutive deliveries to seal the match and series for the Tigers.

Shanto remained unbeaten on 46 and Tasking bagged eight from just three balls.

For England, Archer picked up three wickets for 13 which is his second-best bowling in T20I cricket. 

Earlier, 

Miraz's career-best bowling helped Tigers bundle England for 117 in the second T20I at Mirpur. This is England's lowest total in T20Is after batting full 20 overs.

Returning to the playing XI replacing Shamim Hossain, Miraz picked up four wickets for only 12 runs surpassing his previous best of 3/17. 

The offspinner picked up the wickets of Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, and Chris Jordan to literally destroy the world champions' batting lineup. But it wasn't Miraz who began the wicket fest. 

Dawid Malan departed in the third over becoming Taskin Ahmed's first victim. Hasan Mahmud took a sensible catch at the boundary line.

Moeen Ali was promoted to number three and he survived a scare in his second delivery. 

Musfatizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed kept things tight at the beginning. They gave away only 29 runs in the first four overs. Taskin bowled three straight overs in his first spell conceding only 19 runs and picked up the important wicket of Malan. 

England were 50 for one after six overs. And it was all Bangladesh bowlers after that. England managed to add only 13 more runs in the next four overs and lost three more wickets.

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan brought himself into the attack in the seventh over and sent well-set Phil Salt back to the pavilion in his very first over through a caught and bowled. Salt bagged 25 off 19 before departing. 

Hasan Mahmud came in to bowl the next over and he uprooted Jos Buttler's stumps with a beautiful yorker. England were reduced to 56 for three after eight overs. 

Miraz joined the party and he picked up Moeen Ali to reduce England to 57 for four in the ninth over.

Shanto was a surprise inclusion in the bowling attack. He bowled the 12th over and gave away nine runs. 

Duckett and Sam Curran built a 34-run partnership. Miraz broke that by sending Curran back to the pavilion as he was stumped trying to charge down the wicket in the 14th over. Woakes was dismissed in the very same over in the very same style. Miraz gave only one run in that over picking up two wickets to hurt England's pursuit of putting up a decent total on the board.

After 15 overs, England were 95 for six and were scoring less than six runs per over.

They eventually managed to score 117 losing all wickets thanks to debutant Rehan Ahmed's useful 11-run innings.

Apart from Miraz, four bowlers - Taskin, Shakib, Mustafiz, and Hasan Mahmud - picked up a wicket each.