Tigers seal series in Fatullah

Five wickets from veteran left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique ensured that Bangladesh sealed a series victory over the visiting Kenyans, despite an unconvincing 20-run margin at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium in Fatullah.

Only five of the home side’s batsmen passed double figures, as Peter Ongondo’s three wickets stifled the top order following a promising start from Aftab Ahmed and Shahriar Nafees. Javed Omar, Mohammad Ashraful and Habibul Bashar fell for just four runs between them, and Bangladesh were 68 for four – then 132 for six as Rafique fell to Jimmy Kamande.

An 89-run stand for the seventh wicket between supersub Alok Kapali – possibly the last man to play this role in ODI cricket – and Khaled Mashud, before the off spin of Steve Tikolo hurried the innngs’ end with four overs to spare.

The Kenyan reply started with a brace of LBW successes for Mashrafe Mortaza, as the seamer accounted for openers Kennedy Otieno and David Obuya, before the spinners Abdur Razzak and Rafique began to dry the middle order runs. Tikolo, returning from the virus that ruled him out of the previous match, fell to a return catch from Razzak, before Rafique captured Hiteshi Modi and Thomas Odoyo.

Collins Obuya and the increasingly impressive Tanmay Mishra were able to add 71 for the sixth wicket, while Mishra added 51 in five overs with Ongondo for the seventh, but when Rafique bowled Ongondo with 12 balls to spare and 25 more runs required, the game was up and the Kenya tail collapsed limply.

The fourth and final game of the series takes place at the same ground on Saturday, before Kenya return home for their InterContinental Cup match against the Netherlands. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have guaranteed thir qualification for this October’s Champions Trophy in India – eleventh-ranked Kenya can no longer overtake them by the April 1 cutoff date.

Bangladesh 231
Shahriar Nafees 57, Alok Kapali 55
Steve Tikolo 3-32, Peter Ongondon 3-40

Kenya 211
Tanmya Mishra 48, Collins Obuya 45
Mohammad Rafique 5-47, Mashrafe Mortaza 3-38

Bangladesh won by 20 runs and lead the series 3-0

Cricket Web Player of the Match
Mohammad Rafique (Kenya) – 33 and 10-0-47-5