Smith leads Windies to victory

Dwayne Smith top-scored with 72
1 April 2014

West Indies kick-started their World Twenty20 defence with a routine 73-run win over Bangladesh in Dhaka.

The Windies lost their Group Two opener to India, but were far too slick for the tournament hosts to collect their first win and keep their semi-final hopes alive.

West Indies posted 171 for seven on the back of opener Dwayne Smith's 72, while an unusually subdued Chris Gayle cobbled together 48 from as many balls.

In a strange innings, four West Indies batsmen failed to survive their first ball, but it mattered not as Bangladesh folded to 98 all out in 19.1 overs. Windies leg-spinner Samuel Badree took career-best figures of four for 15.

Bangladesh made it through to the Super 10 stage despite an embarrassing defeat to tournament rookies Hong Kong, who bowled them out for 108.

Another equally unimpressive batting performance was set off by three early wickets in six balls.

Krishmar Santokie made two of the breakthroughs, most significantly bowling dangerman Shakib Al Hasan first ball to silence the Shere Bangla Stadium.

Bangladesh never recovered as Badree got to work, with the help of some sharp work from his team-mates in the field.

West Indies built their score on a 97-run opening stand between Smith and Gayle at the top of the order.

It was Smith who set the pace, Gayle was on just 19 when his partner departed for 72, after hitting 10 fours and three sixes. Smith's fun ended when he top-edged Mahmudullah to square leg.

In comparison, Gayle plodded along but was closing in on a half-century when he was caught at long-off in the penultimate over.

A late clatter of wickets meant the West Indies batting card had a lop-sided look, but their bowlers ensured the work of Smith and Gayle was more than enough.

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