Tamim reveals T20 retirement after Tigers sweep ODI series

Bangladesh have completed a clean sweep of the ODI series in the Caribbean by winning the third match against a depleted West Indies team by four wickets.

Bangladesh was favoured to win an 11th consecutive 50-over match against the West Indies, especially after bowling the home side out for 178 in the 49th over on Saturday, which was their best total of the three-match series.

The West Indies were handicapped further when allrounder Keemo Paul pulled a hamstring and didn't bowl, and part-time medium-pacer Rovman Powell suffered a side strain after delivering 11 balls.

The hosts used seven bowlers but after spinner Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai used up his 10 overs for a team-best 4-23, Bangladesh strolled to the win at 6-179 with nine balls to spare.

While Bangladesh respected Motie-Kanhai, who claimed captain Tamim Iqbal, caught and bowled Liton Das, bowled Afif Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain, the batters comfortably took runs off everyone else.

Tamim got 34 before miscuing a sweep to fine leg and Liton top-scored with 50 off 65 balls.

Mosaddek charged Motie-Kanhai and hit it straight to the long-off fielder to leave Bangladesh wobbling at 5-116, but after Motie-Kanhai finished, Mahmudullah (26), Nurul Hasan (32no) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (16no) remained calm to complete the task.

Bangladesh made one inspired change from the second ODI, giving spinner Taijul Islam his first international match on the tour ahead of pacer Shoriful Islam and Taijul delivered with a career-best 5-28 in 10 overs.

Earlier, West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran made his ninth ODI half century, which was also his slowest in 93 balls, as Taijul, Mustafizur and Mosaddek strangled the home side by bowling a combined 29 overs at less than three per over.

The ODI series was consolation for Bangladesh after losing the Test and T20 series.

Tamim, who was named player-of-the-series for his 50no and 33 in the second and first ODIs that helped Bangladesh to a nine and six wicket victories respectively, announced his international retirement from the T20 format after the match.

"Consider me retired from T20 international from today," he said on his officially Facebook page.

Bangladesh's Test and ODI opening batter hadn't played the shortest format since March 2020 and voluntarily ruled himself out of last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE to give younger batters an extended run at the top of the order.

Since stepping away from T20 cricket, he has led the Tigers to five consecutive ODI series wins, which has them sitting second in the ICC Super League and in the box seat for direct qualification for next year's 50-over World Cup in India.