Sports Desk:

Rishad Hossain became the first Bangladeshi wrist spinner to take a five-wicket haul as the hosts defeated West Indies by 74 runs in a low-scoring first ODI of the series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday night.

Bangladesh managed 207 runs in 49.4 overs, with Rishad contributing a quick cameo of 26 off 13 balls. The touring side were then bowled out for 133 in 39 overs, despite being 51 without loss at one stage, as Rishad wreaked havoc, finishing with 6-35 in nine overs.

Like other spinners in the match exploiting the turning track, Rishad found the perfect length and pace early in his spell, producing a masterclass of spin bowling that choked the Windies’ scoring while delivering magical wicket-taking deliveries.

Rishad broke the opening stand of 51 between Alick Athanaze and Brandon King by trapping Athanaze lbw in the 12th over. King added 28 runs with Keacy Carty before Rishad struck again. After Carty was caught at slip off Rishad, the Windies innings fell apart.

King, who top-scored with 44, along with Sherfane Rutherford and Roston Chase, were all caught behind. Chase became Rishad’s fifth scalp, making the 23-year-old the first Bangladeshi leg-spinner to claim the first five wickets of an opposition in an ODI.

Mustafizur Rahman, who took two wickets, along with Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tanvir Islam, shared the remaining four scalps. Rishad finished the innings when Jayden Seales was caught at slip.

Earlier, Bangladesh had slipped to 8 for 2 in 2.1 overs after being sent in on a tricky wicket. Saif Hasan (lbw to Romario Shepherd) and Soumya Sarkar (pushed a full-length delivery to point off Jayden Seales) fell cheaply.

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy added 71 runs off 120 balls for the third wicket to steady the innings. Shanto was trapped lbw by Khary Pierre for 32 off 63, while Hridoy, the only fifty-maker of the innings, was caught behind off pacer Justin Greaves. Hridoy had added 36 runs with debutant Mahidul Islam Ankon.

Ankon fought with 46 off 76 balls and shared a 43-run stand with captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz before being bowled by Roston Chase. These three middle-order partnerships enabled Rishad to unleash some late fireworks.

Rishad smashed 26 off 13 balls, including two sixes. Bangladesh hit three sixes in total—Rishad contributed two and Tanvir Islam one—to push the team past the 200-run mark.

Jayden Seales was the most successful bowler for West Indies with three wickets, while Khary Pierre made the biggest impact through his miserly spell, conceding just 19 runs for one wicket at an economy rate of 1.90, the third-best by a foreign spinner on Bangladeshi soil.