Hope, Hetmyer power WI to 321 for 8 against Bangladesh

Taunton: Shai Hope hit a patient 121-ball 91 while Shimron Hetmyer produced a quick-fire fifty as West Indies posted a challenging 321 for eight against Bangladesh in their World Cup fixture here Monday. Hope shared a 116-run partnership with Evin Lewis (70) for the second wicket before adding another 83 runs with Hetmyer (50 off 26 balls) after West Indies had a sedate start following Bangladesh's decision to field first.

The two-time champions seemed to be on course for a 350-plus score before Bangladesh tied things up a bit in the last five overs, which yielded just 33 for loss of one wicket. For Bangladesh, pace duo of Mohammad Saifuddin (3/72) and Mustafizur Rahman (3/59) snapped three wickets each, while Shakib Al Hasan (2/54) took two. Earlier, West Indies lost Chris Gayle (0) early and could manage only 32 runs in the first powerplay with the Bangladesh pacers bowling in tendum.

Lewis and Hope then brought up the team hundred in 22.4 overs. The left-handed opener then exploded, smashing successive fours off Shakib before sending one from the bowler out of the park in his next over. But Shakib returned to dismiss Lewis, having him caught at long-off as West Indies slipped to 122 for two. Hope then completed his fifty in 75 balls but new man Nicholas Pooran (25) could not stay longer as WI lost their third wicket in the 33rd over.

That brought Hetmyer to the crease and he took the Bangladesh bowlers to the cleaners, smashing four boundaries and three sixes in his 26-ball whirlwind innings. Once Hetmyer was back to the hut, captain Jason Holder blasted 33 off 15 balls with the help of four hits to the fence and two sixes to keep the flow of runs but West Indies lost their way after he was dismissed in the 44th over. Hope too holed out in the 47th over.