Bangladesh handed target of 322 to beat West Indies

TAUNTON, England (AP) — West Indies amassed 321-8 against Bangladesh in the Cricket World Cup at Taunton on Monday despite Chris Gayle and Andre Russell both getting out for ducks.

Shai Hope, who came in after Gayle’s 13-ball duck in the fourth over, played the anchor role brilliantly in scoring 96 from 121 balls, and allowing his teammates to smash the ball.

After a cautious start, West Indies was 151-2 after 30 overs and on track for a total under 300 in Taunton’s small confines.

Gayle’s fellow opener, Evin Lewis, combined with Hope in producing the West Indies’ first century partnership of the tournament in their fifth match, 116.

Lewis was patient in posting his first one-day international fifty in 15 months. Then he went after allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and scored 20 from nine balls. On the 10th, he sliced the ball and gave an easy catch to long off.

In Nicholas Pooran’s cameo, he hit Mehidy Hasan and the ball broke when it cracked the tile on the Sir Ian Botham Stand. Shakib got Pooran, too, on 25, to regain the advantage.

But West Indies snatched it back as Shimron Hetmyer cracked 50 off 26 balls, including the longest six of the tournament, out of the ground, and captain Jason Holder smacked 33 off 15 in his 100th ODI.

In between them, Russell lasted only two balls, edging behind to a smart delivery from Mustafizur Rahman. Wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim took a neat catch, diving to his right. Mushfiqur had dived left to catch out Gayle.

Hope crawled into the 90s in the 46th over and tried to rush to his century, only to hole out at deep backward square, giving Mustafizur a third wicket.

Mohammad Saifuddin also took three wickets, starting with Gayle and finishing on the last ball with Darren Bravo, who was chosen to replace bowling allrounder Carlos Brathwaite to deepen the batting order.

Whether that left West Indies with enough bowling depth, was next to be answered.