Bangladesh inflicted on England the world champions’ first Twenty20 series whitewash since 2016 after concluding a hugely positive run of matches by exacting fitting punishment for the tourists’ chaotic and error-strewn performance.
The match will be memorable in contrasting ways for Ben Duckett – guilty of two boundary-assisting misfields, one terrible drop and running out Jos Buttler – and also for Litton Das, whose 73 off 57 balls, set up Bangladesh’s total of 158.
It was enough to secure victory by 16 runs, approximately the number they were gifted by their opponents’ various errors. “Our first 15 overs in the field were nowhere near the level we’d expect,” said Matthew Mott, England’s white-ball coach.
“We were on it today. The leadup was good, everyone was up and about, but for whatever reason we couldn’t get clean hands on the ball, in the air or along the ground.
“With the benefit of hindsight, they were 15-20 runs over par on that wicket, so we paid heavily for those mistakes.”
As in the first game of this tour, a one-day international at the same venue a fortnight ago, England were so sloppy in the field it practically amounted to self-sabotage. Halfway through Bangladesh’s innings they had already banked eight runs in extras, about the same in misfields and benefited from one drop. There was still more to come.
That first drop represented Rehan Ahmed’s first genuine howler since his promotion to the side and will mar memories of an encouraging bowling display. Rony Talukdar’s top-edge gave him time to take his position, set himself and extend his hands, but he completely misjudged the flight of the ball, doing little more than wave it goodbye as it fell to earth. It was the last over of the Powerplay, Bangladesh were 43 without loss, and England in increasingly desperate need of encouragement.
Though a breakthrough came two overs later, almost inevitably off the bowling of Adil Rashid, the momentum remained unchanged.
Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has been outstanding in both series, continued to punish England’s generosity. In a single Ahmed over, Das reached his half-century off 41 balls and a mighty Shanto six over cow corner brought up the 50 partnership off 33. Das celebrated by lifting the next ball, bowled by Jofra Archer, to deep extra cover where Duckett was even further from executing a successful catch than Ahmed had been.
For all their failings England’s bowling was largely good and sometimes excellent and in the final five overs the fielding started to match it for competence. They went for 27 and the reward was a target that was daunting, but not unachievable.
England’s run chase started terribly with Phil Salt ending a disappointing tour with his briefest innings of all, advancing, missing and being stumped – more good work from Das – to become the debutant Tanvir Islam’s first international wicket in his and the innings’ first over. Two balls into the second over, Taskin Ahmed arrowed the ball into Dawid Malan’s legs and the umpire raised his finger.
He was on one at the time and reprieved on review when, after many identical replays, the fourth official decided the first tremor on UltraEdge coincided with the ball passing the bat. He made the most of his reprieve and along with Buttler hauled England to a match‑winning position.
Then it all fell apart. At the start of the 14th over, Malan swung at a bouncer and edged to Das, who took a good leaping catch to dismiss the opener for 53, Mustafizur’s 100th T20 wicket coming with the score on 100. Duckett came in, hit the next ball to point and started running; Mehidy Hasan Miraz gathered, threw and hit the stumps at the striker’s end, a beautiful bit of fielding that caught a lethargic Buttler well short.
Three overs later, Moeen Ali and Duckett were dismissed in the space of five Taskin Ahmed deliveries and what remained of England’s chances went with them.
“We need to maintain perspective,” Mott said. “We’re really disappointed, it wasn’t the performance we were after, but there’s a lot to look forward to. Bangladesh deserved to win this series, but it would have been nice to finish a bit better.”
