DHAKA, Dec 9, 2024 (BSS)-Bangladesh's 11-match winning streak against West Indies came to an end when the hosts thrashed them by five wickets in the
three-match ODI series opening game, thanks to a maiden ton of Sherfane Rutherford at Warner Park in St Kitts today.

Rutheford smashed 80 ball-113 as West Indies gunned down Bangladesh's 294-6 effortlessly by amassing 295-5 in 47.4 overs.

It was Rutherford's sixth fifty plus knock in his only 10-match career. He clubbed seven fours and eight towering sixes in a brutal knock that left
Bangladesh in shocked state.

Skipper Shai Hope blasted 88 ball-86 with three fours and four sixes. He and Rutherford shared 99-run for the fourth wicket to bring the side back into
the contest, after Bangladesh bowlers ruled West Indies batters to raise the prospect of 12th consecutive victory against them.

With Bangladesh bowlers keeping a nagging line and length, the top order of West Indies were stifled. A big hitter like Brandon King played 16 balls for
9 runs before being trapped leg-before by Tanzim Hasan Sakib and then new pace sensation Nahid Rana removed another big hitter Evin Lewis, also via
leg-before. Lewis made 16 off 31.

And when Rishad Hossain got the better of Keacy Carty after he scored 21 off 37, West Indies were left to 94-3 in 22 overs, giving Bangladesh a hope to
win the game.

But Rutherford played the blinder as he came down heavily on the Bangladesh bowlers to make them completely disarray. His brutal attack in fact forced
the bowlers to loss their line and length.

Captain Hope also complemented him with resolution but in attacking fashion. Mehidy Hasan Miraz broke the partnership by removing Hope but Rutherford got
another support from Justin Greaves with whom he shared 95 runs off just 57 balls to help the side close in on a victory.

Rutherford meantime raised his maiden century off 77 balls when Bangladesh fielder overthrew to gift him six runs. But he later struck two consecutive
sixes off Soumya before fell to the same over, trying to third straight six. West Indies were just seven runs away from the victory when he was dismissed.

Greaves who was unbeaten on 31 ball-41 then completed the inevitable with plenty of balls to spare.

During the toss, Bangladesh stand-in skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz predicted a 280 plus total would be good enough to win the game. But on a day when
Rutherford was in beast mood, it was just not enough.

Three batters hit half-centuries in Bangladesh's total with Miraz leading the way with highest 74. Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim struck run-a-ball-60 while
experienced Mahmudullah Riyad hammer 44 ball-50. Jaker Ali Anik brought up his Test form to the ODI format too, blasting a 40 ball-48 that helped
Bangladesh edge closer to 300.

After opting to bat first, Bangladesh made a solid start with Tanzid finding the boundaries at regular intervals. Soumya Sarkar too made a decent start
but fell for 18 ball-19 while Liton Das was dismissed for 2 to leave Bangladesh 46-2.

Tanzid and Miraz then combined for a 79-run for the third wicket which set the platform of big total.

Tanzid hammered six fours and three sixes in his third fifty plus knock before being removed by pacer Alzarri Joseph who took 2-67 eventually.

Miraz was little bit slow in his approach but brought up his fifth ODI fifty without any trouble. He looked set for a century before Jayden Seals denied
him.

Afif Hossain the fell to Romairo Shepherd after scoring 28. Shepherd finished with 3-51 to be the best bowler for West Indies.

Jaker and Mahmudullah, then lived up to their reputation of finisher tag by adding 96 off 74 balls to help Bangladesh finish on high. Both of the batter
hit three fours and as many sixes with Mahmudullah remaining not out after raising his 30th half-century.