Bangladesh-WI first T20I called off due to rain

|| CF DESK ||

Persistent rains forced a no-result in the first T20 International of the three-match series between the West Indies and Bangladesh at Windsor Park in Dominica on Saturday.

Bangladesh were held to 105 for eight from 13 overs in a staccato innings interrupted twice as additional showers rushed down from the mountains around the scenic ground, eventually washing out any hope of gaining a result from a shortened contest.

Test captain Shakib al Hasan (29 off 15 balls) and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan (25 off 15 balls) were the only players to gain momentum in the tourists' innings, as they were routinely dismissed by a varied home attack led by skipper Nicholas Pooran.

Earlier, Bangladesh's innings was opened by Anamul Haque Bijoy and Munim Shahriar after loosing the toss, Munim was dismissed after only three balls, edging a delivery that turned slightly through to the wicketkeeper, sending the 24-year-old back for two.

Bijoy then proclaimed his return to the T20I format, which he had not played in for nearly seven years, by hitting the first ball he faced for a boundary, the last of the opening over.

Shakib Al Hasan then joined him at number three and started bashing the hosts’ bowlers.

Bijoy became Bangladesh's second wicket to fall as he scored 16 from 10 on his return. He tapped into an LBW off Obed McCoy.

Liton Das then came to the crease and he demonstrated clear determination by attacking the second ball he faced and smashing it away for a boundary.

Liton (9) was caught off from Romario Shepherd's over, attempting to pull a short ball but only lofting it straight into the air for a routine catch.

Fast-medium bowler Shepherd led the effort with three wickets for 21 runs off his reduced allotment of three overs while leg-spinner Hayden Walsh claimed two for 24, including the important scalp of Shakib, caught behind by Devon Thomas, the wicketkeeper-batsman making a return to international duty at the same venue where he made his senior West Indies debut against the same opponents in a One-Day International in 2009.

Shepherd accounted for Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah to set the tourists back even further at 75 for six in the 11th over, although Nurul's improvisation and aggression, which followed on his unbeaten 60 in the second Test defeat in St Lucia five days earlier, gave his side some hope of a defendable total before falling to a catch on the square-leg boundary off Odean Smith.

Within minutes of his dismissal though the rains returned for another time, leaving the umpires with option other than to declare a no-result as the available time, even allowing for a prompt resumption, would not have permitted the West Indies to face a minimum of six overs, and a revised target on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, in reply to facilitate a definitive result.

Both teams will try again on Sunday in the second fixture of the series at the same venue before the scene shifts to Providence Stadium in Guyana where the final match is scheduled for July 7.

Providence also hosts the three-match ODI series.

West Indies won the Test series 2-0, prevailing by seven wickets in Antigua and ten wickets in St Lucia.