Aftab hits 59, Bangla all out for 161 against Windies

Jaipur, Oct 11 (UNI) Aftab Ahmed's 54-ball knock of 59 proved a false dawn as Bangladesh succumbed to a massive collapse and were skittled out for a meagre 161 in 46.3 overs in their ICC Champions Trophy qualifying match against the West Indies at the Swai Mansingh Stadium here today.

Despite an early setback, Aftab and Shahariar Naffes (38) put together 85 runs for the second wicket to build a foundation but the effort went in vain with the West Indian bowlers clawing back in the match and then going for the kill.

Bangladesh lost their last nine batsmen for a mere 67 runs.

After skipper Habibul Bashar decided to bat first, Shahariar Nafees began with a bang, slashing Jerome Taylor past the diving cover point for a scorching four. But the pacer drew the first blood in his third over when Mohammad Ashraful (2) was fooled into playing a pull shot only to be trapped leg before and Bangladesh lost their first wicket right after the team score had reached the double figure.

Next man in Aftab Aahmed (59) showed little sign of nerve and got off the mark with a boundary off Taylore in the first ball he faced.

Taylor's next over saw Aftab upping the tempo and hitting two boundaries before going for a hook in the final ball of the over as the ball went up with Marlon Samuels, at long leg, haring to get under it but only to spill it over the ropes for the third boundary of the over and Taylor was hardly amused.

And in his next over, Taylor's frustration knew no bound when the batsman top-edged a short delivery which flew over the fine leg boundary for a six.

Aftab then picked up Ian Bradshaw for the same treatment when his six soared just over Taylore and cleared the square leg ropes.

Shahariar Nafees (38) also opened up, hitting Corey Collymore for a couple of boundaries and with the minnows on 71 for one in 15 overs, West Indies captain Brian Lara handed the ball to Marlon Samuels to stymie the run flow with some off-spin.

Both Colleymore and Samuels were doing their best before Aftab struck Colleymore for two successive fours for his seventh ODI fifty but soon followed a Bangla batting collapse.

Samuels earned a vital breakthourgh for his side when Shahriar's attempted cut found Chris Gayle's safe hands at slip and the batsman returned after a sedate 38 run knock off 68 balls including five boundaries.

Collymore then struck back-to-back blows, knocking Saqibul Hasan's (0) off-stump and then trapping Habibul Basher for the Bangla captain's second successive duck to trigger the collapse.

Aftab's aggressive streak got the better of him and trying to hit Samuels over the top, he perished at long leg where Shivnarine Chaderpaul took a regulation catch. It was a soft dismissal for Aftab's superb 55-ball knock of 59 that was studded with seven hits to the fence besides two sixes.

Farhad Reza (7) then dragged a Dwayne Bravo delivery onto his stumps and Mohammad Rafique's (7) attempted sweep off Chris Gayle resulted in a leg before decision to leave Bangladesh 125 for seven.

Bravo plucked a one-handed blinder off his own bowling to return Mashrafe Mortaza (7) and removed Abdur Razzak (9) caught behind.

Taylor then dropped curtains on the Bangla innings when he had Syed Rasel (3) caught by Samuels and the minnows were all out for 161 in 46.3 overs.

UNI XC AY DB1817