Ireland hammer Bangladesh in opening T20

Chattogram and First Twenty20 International

Ireland 181-4 (20 overs): H Tector 69, T Tector 32, Tanzim 2-41

Bangladesh 142-9 (20 overs): Hridoy 83, Humphreys 4-13, McCarthy 3-23

Ireland defeated 39 runs to win.

Bangladesh and Ireland won their first T20 international by 39 runs after two hearty Test defeats.

Ireland finished 181-4 in Chattogram thanks to Harry Tector’s unbeaten 69.

The hosts’ batting order was torn apart by Matthew Humphreys, who then took four wickets.

Bangladesh could only manage 142-9, losing by 39 runs, under Barry McCarthy’s command of three wickets.

Irish captain Paul Stirling praised the team’s performance today.

That’s as close to reaching full strength as the T20 has been in a while. Some senior figures were returned, and it was evident. We won the victory.

By the time opener Paul Stirling was dismissed for 21 runs, Ireland had 40 runs on the board at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Cricket Stadium.

Before the former was out for 32, the Tector brothers, Tim and Harry, increased Ireland’s score to 71.

When Lorcan Tucker was shooted off Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Ireland was in a strong position on 105-2.

Curtis Campher was dismissed in the 17th over with Ireland, who went on to score 142, but Tector’s late hitting, who finished unbeaten on 69, and George Dockrell, who added 181 to the score, helped them post it.

Bangladesh would have desired a quick response, but Ireland’s bowlers broke through the top order.

The hosts were 5-3 midway through the fourth over when Tanzid Hasan Tamim (two) and Mark Adair both fell to each other.

Saif Hassan was the next to lose with a six as McCarthy led Bangladesh with 18-4.