Rovman Powell celebrated a significant milestone by marking his 100th T20I with an impressive performance. He led the West Indies to a 16-run victory against Bangladesh in the first T20I, held in Chattogram. This game made Powell only the third player from the West Indies to reach this milestone.
Match Highlights
Powell finished the match with an unbeaten score of 44 runs off 28 balls, receiving the Player-of-the-Match award. His early batting struggled, as he managed only 18 runs from 22 balls with just one four. The turning point came in the last overs, where he hit three consecutive sixes against Tanzim Hasan in the final over.
- Final Score: West Indies: 165 for 3
- Bangladesh: 149 all out
- Powell’s Key Stats: 44 runs from 28 balls, 3 sixes in the final over
Powell’s Reflection on the Match
After the game, Powell expressed his joy about reaching this milestone. He acknowledged the effort that led him to this point in his career, thanking his family and teammates. “It is not always that someone gets to play 100 T20Is, especially for West Indies,” he said. He emphasized his strategy of pacing his innings to maximize scoring in the last five overs.
Powell also mentioned the impact of dew on the match conditions. He noted that it could have caused complications for the bowlers, highlighting the pressure they could have faced if Bangladesh maintained their wickets towards the end of their chase.
Bangladesh’s Performance
In contrast, Bangladesh struggled in the powerplay, losing four wickets early in the match. Their top scorer was Tanzim Hasan, who managed 33 runs. Following the match, he expressed concerns about their batting strategy, specifically mentioning the need for better performances during the powerplay and specialist batters in the final overs.
- Bangladesh Powerplay: Loss of 4 wickets
- Tanzim Hasan’s Contribution: Top-scoring with 33 runs
Looking Ahead
Powell is optimistic about the upcoming matches, knowing that a victory in the second T20I could lead to a series win for West Indies. The team is eager to break their losing streak in recent T20I series and build on their success against Bangladesh.
“Being 1-0 up against Bangladesh will provide the opportunity for us to turn it around,” he stated. The West Indies aim to focus on their strategies to meet the challenges posed by Bangladesh in the next game.
