Dreadful batting sees Bangladesh slump to T20 series loss to USA

Bangladesh are now the first team to hit a century of losses in T20s

A dismal batting display has plunged Bangladesh to yet another embarrassing loss, handing the USA a historic series win in the T20s with one game still to go.

What was unthinkable and unimaginable before the series has indeed been achieved by the USA. In the second game of the three-match series, the USA edged the Tigers by 6 runs to secure their first series victory against any Test-playing nation.

Bangladesh also reached an unwanted milestone in this match as they became the first team to lose a hundred matches in international T20s.

The first match might have been passed off as a 'fluke' but there is little to be said after losing two consecutive matches against the minnows. Once again, the harsh reality of Bangladesh in T20s seems to have been exposed.

In Prairie View Cricket Complex, Texas, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, USA captain Monank Patel said the pitch was better than the previous game. They aimed for a big score but ended up with only 144 runs in 20 overs.

Chasing the score, Bangladesh's batting faltered, and they were all out for 138 runs with three balls remaining with only Shakib Al Hasan and Nazmul Hossain Shanto chipping in with useful knocks.

At one point, the match was within their reach, needing only 26 runs from the last 24 balls with 5 wickets in hand, but the USA kept chipping away with wickets with Ali Khan being the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 25.

There is little hope for Bangladesh in the World Cup anyway, and this series loss is another ominous sign.

In the first half of the match, Bangladesh's situation was not too bad. Their bowlers delivered a fairly organised performance.

The USA, despite not losing wickets initially, could not score quickly. Steven Taylor and captain Monank managed only 27 runs in the first 5 overs. In the sixth over, Shakib gave away 15 runs, including a six and a four to Taylor, pushing the score to 42 at the end of the powerplay.

In the seventh over, Rishad Hossain broke through, having Taylor (31 off 28) caught at long-on while attempting a six.

In the next ball, Rishad's flight and turn confused the new batsman Andreas House.

Aaron Jones, soon after entering the crease, hit Rishad for a six. However, Monank struggled to time his shots at the other end.

By the 10th over, the USA had 68 runs on the board with Monank was then 18 off 18 balls.

Jones' positive batting brought 24 runs in the next three overs. However, the run rate slowed down again as tight bowling made it difficult for Monank and Jones. The team's hundred came in the 16th over.

Trying to accelerate, Jones (35 off 34) was out to Mustafizur Rahman.

Opener Monank made a run-a-ball 36 after 18 overs. In the 19th over, despite hitting Shariful for a six, he was bowled on the next ball while trying a scoop shot and ended up on 42 off 38.

The first match's heroes, Corey Anderson and Harmeet Singh, did not perform well. Anderson (11 off 10) hit Mustafizur for a six but was bowled by Shariful. Harmeet, who scored 33 off 13 in the previous match, was out for a duck.

Bangladesh's bowlers bowled reasonably well bar Shakib who was the most expensive with figures of 4 for 35.

In the chase, Bangladesh lost Soumya Sarkar in the first over when left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar splendidly caught it one-handed in his follow-through.

Soumya has now stretched his record of most ducks in T20s for Bangladesh to 12. He has not scored a fifty in the last 25 innings.

Replacing the out-of-form Litton Kumar Das, Tanzid Hasan started well but was also dismissed for 19 off 15 after hitting a six and a four.

Shanto and Towhid Hridoy then batted slowly and took the total to 62 after 9 overs. They increased the run rate slightly in the 10th over by hitting left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh for two sixes.

However, Shanto was run out for 36 off 34 balls and Hridoy was bowled by Anderson after making 25 off 21 balls.

Soon after, when Mahmudullah was bowled for 3, clouds of concern began to gather. Shakib tried to dispel these clouds with aggressive batting and quickly added runs to brighten the situation somewhat with a 23-ball 30.

But while trying to cut a ball from Ali well outside off stump, Shakib dragged it onto the stumps. Bangladesh continued to lose wickets one after another.

After Shakib, in the same over, Tanzim was also out to Ali. Zaker Ali had already returned, making just 3.

Rishad was the last hope. In the final over, needing 12 runs, he hit a boundary on the second ball after getting a bye on the first. But he was caught behind in the next delivery trying a cheeky scoop.

A wild celebration ensued from the bowler Ali, who, having played in the BPL, ended the match as the player of the match

Bangladesh lost 5 wickets within 16 balls and the match. Now, they face the threat of being whitewashed.

The final match of the series is on Saturday.