BAN VS WI 3RD T20I

The third and final T20I between West Indies and Bangladesh now serves as a dead rubber, with the West Indies having already sealed the series 2-0 after a hard-fought 14-run victory in the second match. This win was set up by a formidable batting display from Alick Athanaze and captain Shai Hope, whose record 105-run partnership rescued the team from an early setback. Despite a dramatic collapse that saw them lose eight wickets for just 43 runs in the latter half of the innings, West Indies managed to post a challenging target of 150. Bangladesh's bowlers, particularly Mustafizur Rahman (3/21) and Nasum Ahmed (2/35), ensured the total remained within reach, but the damage had been done by the West Indies top-order. Bangladesh's chase began poorly, lacking the boundary-scoring fluency needed in the powerplay, a stark contrast to their opponents' performance. Opener Tanzid Hasan played a valiant lone hand, but the lack of substantial support from the middle-order batters proved fatal. The pressure mounted, leading to a significant collapse in the final overs as the required run rate soared. While Jaker Ali's struggle to find the boundary was highlighted, the collective failure of the batting unit to build partnerships ultimately led to them falling short, managing only 135/8. The West Indies bowling attack, despite the team's poor fielding performance on the day, was excellent in taking wickets at crucial moments. Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd both claimed three wickets each, dismantling the Bangladesh chase. Hosein's performance was particularly notable as he became the West Indies' all-time second-highest T20I wicket-taker, surpassing Dwayne Bravo. Jason Holder also chipped in with two wickets, rounding out a dominant display from the bowlers who capitalized on the poor shot-making from the Bangladesh batters to secure the series. With the series already won, the third T20I offers West Indies a chance to go for a clean sweep and potentially test their bench strength, while Bangladesh will be desperate to salvage some pride and avoid a whitewash in front of their home crowd. They need their star players to fire collectively, both with the bat and the ball, to prevent another defeat. The match promises to be another competitive affair, with Bangladesh aiming to learn from their mistakes and West Indies looking to finish the tour on a high note.