GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Left-arm quick Krishmar Santokie’s three-wicket haul was not enough to prevent West Indies A from losing their opening Twenty20 of the two-match series against Bangladesh A here Friday night.
The 26-year-old blew away the visitors’ top order in a devastating opening spell but West Indies’ 103 off their 20 overs was insufficient and they went under by a wicket at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.
Santokie, who finished with three for 18, plucked out Mithun Ali (0), Shuvagata Hom (9) and Nasir Hossain (2) to send Bangladesh A tumbling to 30 for four in the seventh over and give Windies A the ascendancy.
Leg-spinner Samuel Badree (2-11) then struck twice in the space of three balls in the eighth over to further reduce Bangladesh A to 34 for six.
However, Mominul Haque (25) and Farhad Reza (19) combined to patch up the innings in a crucial 45-run, seventh wicket stand, that put Bangladesh A back in the hunt.
Mominul faced 29 balls and struck two fours while Farhad got his runs at better than run-a-ball, in striking one four and a six.
Captain Dwayne Smith (2-16) introduced his medium pace to good effect, trapping Farhad lbw in the 15th over to break the troublesome partnership.
Windies seemed back in it when seamer Carlos Brathwaite got Mominul in the next over but Bangladesh held their nerve well to sneak home with three balls left in the final over.
Earlier, Smith top scored with 35 from 33 balls at the top of the order to give Windies A a rousing start after they were sent in.
The right-hander slammed two fours and two sixes off 33 balls, while Jason Mohammed hit 25 and Brathwaite, 22.
Once Smith was third out at 54 for three in the 11th over, the Windies declined slowly as off-spinner Nasir Hossain (3-14) and seamer Farhad Reza (3-27) found footholds.
