Bangladesh claim series win

Farhad Reza put Bangladesh on the road to victory by taking five wickets © Getty Images

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Bangladesh defeated Ireland by 84 runs in the second one-day international in Mirpur on Thursday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

Bangladesh posted 246 in their innings thanks to Shahriar Nafees (60) and Aftab Ahmed (61) while Ireland seamer Dave Langford-Smith finished with 3-43 and claimed two run outs.

A number of Ireland batsman got starts in their response but Farhad Reza’s 5-42 saw the Irish dismissed for 162 with 11 overs remaining.

Bangladesh had reached their total at the Shere Bangla National Stadium largely thanks to a first-wicket stand of 94 by Tamim Iqbal and Nafees.

The opening pair made a patient start to the innings before 19-year-old left-hander Tamim was caught by Kevin O'Brien of the bowling of spinner Kyle McCallan for 46.

Aftab increased the run-rate in a 64-run second-wicket partnership with Nafees before the latter was run out by Langford-Smith for 60.

Dave Langford-Smith claimed three wickets and affected two run outs for Ireland

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Skipper Mohammad Ashraful (38) and a brisk 61 in 57 balls from Aftab helped Bangladesh close in on 200 before Aftab fell to Ireland captain Trent Johnston.

Langford-Smith took the wickets of Shakib Al Hasan (one), Shakib Al Hasan (two) and Mashrafe Mortaza (26) and the seamer also claimed the wicket of Raqibul Hasan with his second run-out.

Ireland’s response got off to a positive start with William Porterfield and Reinhardt Strydom sharing an opening stand of 41.

Abdur Razzak, who finished with 3-27, removed Strydom (15) before all-rounder Reza captured Porterfield (25) and number three Eoin Morgan (four) in quick succession to leave Ireland in trouble at 47 for three.

Brothers Niall O’Brien (18) and Kevin O’Brien (21) were unable to build on promising starts and fell victim to Hasan (two for 16).

Ireland’s hopes were ended after Andre Botha (34) and Alex Cusack (24) fell victim to Reza who mopped up the tail with Razzak to give Bangladesh the series win.