BAN v WI 3rd ODI: Tamim, Soumya fifties guide Bangladesh to 2-1 series win

BAN vs WI 3rd ODI: Soumya and Tamim denied the West Indies any momentum, putting 131 runs in their second wicket stand, which all but sealed the contest and the series

Making a terrific comeback in the decider of the 3-match series, Bangladesh cruised to an 8-wicket victory against West Indies to clinch the series 2-1 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Friday. Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar slammed half-centuries to guide Bangladesh to 202-2 in 38.3 overs after Mehidy Hasan's career-best 4-29 helped the home side restrict the West Indies to 198-8 in 50 overs.

Shai Hope fought a lone battle for the tourists, scoring his second successive hundred of the series but it was in vain as no other batsman provided support. Fresh from an unbeaten 146 off 144 balls in the previous match, Hope struck another unconquered knock of 108 off 131 to prop up the visitors, taking his tally in the series to 297 runs.

Bangladesh made a steady response, with Tamim and Liton Das hitting 45 runs for the opening wicket before Lipton offered a catch to Rovman Powell at mid-on off Keemo Paul.

Soumya and Tamim denied the West Indies any momentum, putting 131 runs in their second wicket stand, which all but sealed the contest and the series. Tamim hit an unbeaten 81 while Soumya added 80 off 81 balls, smashing five sixes and as many fours before Paul sent his leg-stump cartwheeling.

Tamim, who happily anchored the innings, sealed the game with successive fours off Powell, his eighth and ninth boundary of the innings.

Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on 16 at the other end.

Earlier, skipper Mashrafe Mortaza and spinner Shakib Al Hasan claimed two wickets each after man-of-the-match Mehidy rattled the West Indies' top-order.

Hope defied the spirited Bangladesh attack, hitting Shakib over the long off to bring up his fourth ODI century after the ninth wicket had fallen for 177 runs. The opener, who was named the Player of the Series, also hit 10 fours in his fine innings.

Bangladesh won the first match by five wickets on Sunday before the West Indies levelled the series with a four-wicket win in the second match two days later.

The West Indies will wrap up their tour with three Twenty20 internationals, with the opening match scheduled at the same venue on Monday.