Mushfiq hails ‘biggest ever series win’

Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim hailed the 3-2 win over West Indies as their biggest ever series success as it came against a full-strength side and in difficult circumstances.
This is Bangladesh’s second series win against West Indies after they recorded a 3-0 clean sweep in the Caribbean in 2009. But few gave the Tigers any credit as West Indies had fielded an under-strength side devoid of any top players.
Bangladesh’s 4-0 success against New Zealand at home was also undermined by some critics, who had insisted that the Kiwis were in Bangladesh with some of their key players injured.
But there is no such excuse for West Indies, who came fresh from winning the ICC World Twenty20 championship with all their top players including Chris Gayle ready to blaze.
‘I think we deserve this series because of the way we played in the Tests and one-dayers,’ said skipper Mushfiqur Rahim after Bangladesh pulled off a nerve-jiggling two-wicket win in the fifth and final one-dayer on Saturday. ‘If you consider skills it shows we had it in us to win the series.’
‘I think it is the biggest series win. We defeated them earlier but it was often said that they had a weak team against us. New Zealand did not have their full team when they lost 4-0 here.’
‘They [West Indies] are the current Twenty20 world champions and all the top players were playing so this was a very big occasion for us,’ said Mushfiq.
‘It is more so because we did it without one or two of our key players. So it was a big challenge and considering it this is the biggest series win,’ he said.
Mushfiq added that they never had lost their belief despite the series decider changed its course several time.
Bangladesh were on top when they left West Indies reeling at 3-17, but Kieran Pollard lifted the visitors to 217 with a powerful half-century.
Kemar Roach then took both the openers in his second over and removed one-down Jahirul Islam to leave Bangladesh struggling at 3-30 before Mushfiq and Mahmudullah launched a counter attack with 91-run fourth wicket stand.
‘I didn’t think that the match was going to slip away from us as the wicket did not behave like the last match,’ said Mushfiq.
‘We just wanted to make sure that we build on a partnership and I was confident even after Mahmudullah got out,’ he said.
‘At that point a partnership was needed and Mominul and Nasir provided it,’ he pointed out. ‘I think it played the most important part because they were not having a great time in the previous matches. But they showed a good maturity this time around.’
BRIEF SCORES
Fifth ODI
West Indies 217 in 48 overs (K pollard 85, D Bravo 51, D Thomas 25; S Islam 3-31, M Haque 2-14, Mahmudullah 2-38) v Bangladesh 221-8 in 44 overs (Mahmudullah 48, M Rahim 44, N Hossain 39, M Haque 25;
K Roach 5-56, S Narine 3-38)
Result: Bangladesh won the match by 4 wickets.
Man of the match: Mahmudullah (BNG)
Man of the series: Mushfiqur Rahim (BNG)
Series: Bangladesh won the 5-match series 3-2