USA vs BAN 3rd T20I: Mustafizur Rahman Stars As Bangladesh Avoid White-Wash With Consolation Win

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Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball as Bangladesh avoided further humiliation of a series white-wash against USA in the three-match series after a 10-wicket win in the third and final T20I on Satuday (May 25) at the Prairie View Cricket Complex in Houston, Texas.

The T20 World Cup 2024 co-hosts USA had stunned Bangladesh by claiming a 2-0 unassailable series lead following victories in the first two matches, which were also held at the same venue earlier in the week.

Bangladesh led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, however, secured a much-needed consolation win before the T20 World Cup warm up matches against USA and India in the coming week.

After Mustafizur produced stunning figures of 6 for 10 in his 4 overs, including a maiden, to help restrict USA to 104/9, the Bangladesh openers Tanzid Hassan (58* off 42 balls) and Soumya Sarkar (43* off 28 balls) completed the chase in 11.4 overs.

Put into bat first, USA got off to a good start, adding 46 for the opening wicket, before Shakib Al Hasan struck to remove Andries Gous (27 off 15 balls) and Mustafizur dismissed the other opener Shayan Jahangir (18 off 20 balls) for the same score.

The left-arm pacer, who featured for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024, then struck again, removing NR Kumar for 3 off 9 balls, while Rishad Hossain and Tanzim Hasan Sakib also got among the wicket columns.

However, Corey Anderson, who had played a key role in USA's wins earlier in the series, tried to show some fight with Shadley van Schalkwyk, but their stand of 30 plus was soon ended by Mustafizur after the duo were cleaned up by the pacer.

Mustafizur then removed Jessy Singh and Nisarg Patel also cheaply to halt USA's innings at a paltry 104. In response, the Bangladesh openers reached the small target unblemished.

Earlier in the series, USA registered a 5-wicket victory in the first T20I, chasing down a target of 154 in 19.3 overs. The hosts then pulled of an impossible win, defending a total of 144 by bundling out Bangladesh to 138 for a 6-run win that created history of an associate team beating a full member in T20I bilateral series.