Bangladesh failed to score eight runs off their final over

PROVIDENCE: Mashrafe Mortaza (L) of Bangladesh watch as West Indies players celebrate at the end of 2nd ODI match between West Indies and Bangladesh at Guyana National Stadium. —AFP

PROVIDENCE: Shimron Hetmyer scored a superb century as Bangladesh stumbled in the final over to hand the West Indies a series-levelling victory in their one-day game here Wednesday. The hosts made it 1-1 in the best-of-three series after Bangladesh failed to score eight runs off their final over for what would have been a series win.

Shimron Hetmyer blazed 125 off 93 balls to pace the home side to a competitive 271 all out batting first. Bangladesh were left stranded on 268 for six after their 50 overs as West Indies held on for a three-run win. West Indies captain Jason Holder, who started the innings by conceding 20 runs and whose final analysis of one for 66 was the most expensive ever by a Caribbean bowler in an ODI against Bangladesh, bowled the 50th over to give the hosts the victory.

Holder's first delivery accounted for topscorer Mushfiqur Rahim for 68 via a catch on the midwicket boundary and he conceded just four runs off the remaining five deliveries to celebrate a result with his teammates which leaves the series to be decided in the final match on Saturday in St Kitts. "We just had to hang in there and believe in ourselves," said the delighted captain after the match. "Bangladesh came at us hard and credit to them for the way they batted at the top. But we didn't give up and it really sets things up for the final match."

Final over drama

Yet it should never have come to the final over drama, especially after the flying start in which Bangladesh raced to their fastest-ever fifty in ODIs - off 4.4 overs - and were 71 for one by the seventh over and apparently cruising. However both Tamim Iqbal (54) and Shakib al Hasan (56) fell to careless shots to spinners Devendra Bishoo and Ashley Nurse respectively to get the West Indies back into the fray.

Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah, who contributed 39, then featured in an 87-run fourth-wicket stand that looked to have tilted the balance decisively Bangladesh's way. There were more twists to come though as Mahmudullah was run out at the start of the 46th over at 232 for four, which opened the door to a West Indies team who appeared to have been closed out from the contest just minutes earlier. "It was a game we should have won but we made too many mistakes at the end," said Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza. "We weren't at our best in the field either but the series is still alive and we believe we have what it takes to win it."

Bangladesh announced Wednesday that the West Indies would arrive on November 15 for their first full tour to the country since 2012. "Apart from the West Indies, we've also confirmed the Zimbabwe series in October," said BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury. "They (Zimbabwe) will play two Tests and three ODIs. It means we will now play back-to-back series this year." The West Indies series will include two Tests, three one-day internationals and three twenty20 internationals between November and December. The Zimbabwe tour dates have not yet been announced.

Fixtures for West Indies tour of Bangladesh:

Nov 15: West Indies arrive

Nov 18-19: Two-day match v TBA in Chittagong

Nov 22-26: First Test in Chittagong

Nov 30-December 4: Second Test in Dhaka

Dec 6: One-day match v TBA in Dhaka

Dec 9: First one-day international in Dhaka

Dec 11: Second ODI in Dhaka

Dec 14: Third ODI in Sylhet

Dec 17: First twenty20 international in Sylhet

Dec 20: Second T20 in Dhaka

Dec 22: Third T20 in Dhaka - AFP