West Indies southpaw spinner Akeal Hosein expressed his surprise at not seeing Bangladesh all-rounder Rishad Hossain step up to bat during the Super Over in the second ODI held in Mirpur on Tuesday.
Rishad has been a standout performer for Bangladesh throughout the ongoing three-match series, making significant impacts with both the bat and the ball. In the first match, the leg-spinner delivered a career-best performance of 6-35, leading Bangladesh to a 74-run victory over the visitors. Prior to his exceptional bowling display in that game, Rishad’s quickfire 26 runs off just 13 balls had boosted Bangladesh to a competitive total of 207 on a challenging pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
The 21-year-old continued his impressive form into the second ODI, smashing an unbeaten 39 runs off 14 deliveries, including three boundaries and as many maximums. His late blitz propelled Bangladesh to a total of 213 for seven in their allotted 50 overs. Rishad also contributed with the ball, taking three crucial wickets, showcasing his prowess as an all-rounder.
Despite his strong hitting abilities and form, Rishad was surprisingly left out of the Super Over – a rare occurrence for Bangladesh in men’s international cricket across all formats.
In the pursuit of 11 runs to win, Bangladesh opted to send Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, and Najmul Hossain Shanto to face Akeal. The trio could only manage nine runs, including four extras, allowing West Indies to secure a narrow victory, leveling the series 1-1.
Following the match, Akeal expressed his astonishment at Bangladesh’s decision not to utilize their in-form power-hitter in the Super Over.
Soumya Sarkar, the Bangladesh opener, mentioned that the decision was made by the team management. Despite facing most of the deliveries in the Super Over, Soumya acknowledged his failure to find boundaries as a key reason for Bangladesh’s loss.
With the series now tied, the deciding third and final ODI is set to take place on Thursday, with both teams aiming to clinch the series victory.