World Cup 2019, Bangladesh vs West Indies: 3 reasons why the Windies lost the match
Bangladesh defeated West Indies in a high-scoring affair at Taunton by 7 wickets to register their second win of World Cup 2019. This was also their highest ever ODI run chase.
Bangladesh displayed some outstanding batting to chase down the target of 322 in just 41.3 overs courtesy Shakib Al Hasan's unbeaten 124 (99 balls) and Liton Das' 94* (69 balls).
In contrast, West Indies fumbled while bowling and were careless in the field. Despite posting a big total of 321-8 with the help of some strong top order performances, the Windies could not keep the Bangladesh batsmen in check and let the match slip out of their hands way too early.
Losing the match even after posting such a huge total has definitely raised questions over West Indies' strategy in the match. There were several moments when things didn't go according to plan, but they did nothing to change things up.
Here are the three reasons why West Indies came out as second best in the match:
1. Lower order failed to deliver at the death
After 45 overs, West Indies were 288-6 and had Shai Hope (96 runs off 121 balls) and Darren Bravo (19* off 15 balls) at the crease. There seemed to be a good chance that they would reach somewhere around 350 in 50 overs.
However, things turned pear-shaped after Hope's departure and the lower order managed only 33 runs off the last 5 overs. The final score read 321-8 which essentially meant West Indies were around 20 runs short of a competitive total on such a batting-friendly track.
2. Wrong bowling strategy
West Indies' attack did not maintain the right line and length and bowled all over the place. That allowed the Bangladeshi openers to open up their shoulders and go racing off the blocks.
The strategy of bowling a barrage of short balls also misfired as it became too predictable for the batsmen and was well-countered. The Bangladeshi batsmen never looked uncomfortable against the West Indies bowling attack and instead attacked them with gusto to cross the finish line in just 41.3 overs.
3. Fielding not up to the mark
The West Indies fielding looked off-color as they couldn't keep a check on the singles and doubles. As a result, Bangladesh kept their scoreboard ticking and launched a ferocious attack on the bowlers once they got settled.
West Indies gave a life to Shakib Al Hasan off Andre Russell when he was batting on 56; the all-rounder top-edged the ball and it landed between Shai Hope and Shannpon Gabriel.That proved way too costly as Shakib anchored the Bangladesh innings and went on to score his second hundred of the tournament to take the match away from West Indies.
West Indies need to re-think their short ball strategy and T20-mode batting attitude if they wish to win the upcoming matches and keep their chances alive to qualify for the semifinals.
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