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Seales and Hosein boss powerplay as West Indies go 1-0 up
West Indies captain Shai Hope led a batting turnaround that helped his side win by 16 runs against Bangladesh in the first T20I in Chattogram. Hope and Rovman Powell, playing his 100th T20I, put together a late burst of sixes to help the visitors to 165 for 3. Bangladesh crashed to 42 for four in the powerplay in their reply. They ended up bowled out for 149 runs in 19.4 overs.
Jason Holder and Jayden Seales took three wickets each, while Akeal Hosein picked up two in the powerplay.
It was however Hope and Powell, whose 83 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket that powered the visitors’ innings. Hope was not out on 46 off 28 balls with a four and four sixes. Powell had similar numbers, facing 28 balls to hit four sixes and a four, in his unbeaten 44.
Bangladesh though started well with the ball. They rallied around Nasum Ahmed’s four overs. He went wicketless but the left-arm spinner kept West Indies quiet, conceding just 15 runs in his quota. The West Indies openers Brandon King and Alick Athanaze only got a six each though they stuck around for 8.2 overs. Rishad bowled Athanaze for 34, when the batter missed with a reverse sweep. Taskin removed King, caught at deep square-leg for 33.
Taskin followed it up with Sherfane Rutherford’s wicket, as the left-handed batter’s Bangladesh ordeal continued. This time, he fell first ball when wicketkeeper Litton Das took his catch. Although Hope struck couple of sixes at this stage, West Indies couldn’t quite push the scoring rate. Nasum finished off his spell in the 15th over with another stingy over.
Hope kept West Indies afloat when he went after Rishad with two sixes, but with three over remaining, the visitors looked well short of a decent total. Hope cracked a Taskin half volley for his fourth six to start the 18th over. Powell meanwhile finally could get one off the middle of his bat with seven balls remaining in the innings.
He slog swept Mustafizur Rahman for a 102m six, before creaming Tanzim Hasan for three consecutive sixes in the last over. He hammered Tanzim’s full-toss, before going straight for the next two. West Indies picking up 51 runs in the last three overs changed the complexion of the contest.
Bangladesh came out all guns blazing in their pursuit of 166 runs. Tanzid Hasan was going at a shot-a-ball but he lasted just five balls. Romario Shepherd took a stunning catch running back from mid-on but Tanzid’s ultra-aggressive method made little sense. Litton Das then played a soft shot as Akeal Hosein got the ball to stop on the Bangladesh captain. Caught in two minds, Litton gave a catch back to Akeal, who had to take it blind behind the non-striker standing next to him.
Akeal then had Saif Hassan caught at short fine-leg in the next over, attempting a conventional sweep. When Holder removed Shamim Hossain in the fifth over – clipping off his off-bail – West Indies made significant progress as Bangladesh had their last pair of specialist batters at the crease by the end of the powerplay.
The hosts continued to slide when Khary Pierre bowled Nurul Hasan off the inside edge in the ninth over. Towhid Hridoy joined the procession when he fell to Seales in the 12th over. He struck just two fours in his 28 off 25 balls.
Tanzim Hasan then struck a six and three fours in his 33 off 27 balls, to keep Bangladesh’s hopes alive. He added 40 runs for the seventh wicket, before Holder had him caught at deep point in the 16th over. Nasum kept the fire burning with another boundary, but Seales made him his third wicket in the following over.
Holder snuff out Rishad’s threat, who miscued one to long-off. The innings ended when Taskin Ahmed stepped on the stumps although he had sent Shepherd sailing out of the ground in the 18th over.
Brief scores:
West Indies 165 for 3 in 20 overs (Alick Athanaze 34, Brandon King 33, Shai Hope 46*, Rovman Powell 44*, Taskin Ahmed 2-36, Rishad Hossain 1-40) beat Bangladesh 149 in 19.4 overs (Tanzid Hasan15, Towhid Hridoy 28, Tanzim Hasan Sakib 33, Holder 3-31, Nasum Ahmed 20, Taskin Ahmed 10,Mustafizur Rahman 11*; Akeal Hosein 2-22, Jayden Seales 3-32, Khary Pierre 1-33, Jason Holder 3-31, Romario Shepherd 1-29) by 16 runs
[Cricinfo]
Building on its success in seizing major narcotic stocks in 2025, the Navy continued to support the “A Nation United” National Mission in 2026. In continuation of these efforts, during an
operation conducted on the high seas south of Sri Lanka, the Navy apprehended eleven (11) suspects aboard two local multi-day fishing trawlers suspected of drug smuggling.
Based on shared information, by the Sri Lanka Navy and Police, this special operation was conducted off the southern coast, deploying the Navy‟s Offshore Patrol Vessels. The operation
resulted in the interception of a multi-day fishing trawler suspected of smuggling narcotics, and the apprehension of five (05) suspects on board.
During further operations in the same area, naval units seized another multi-day fishing trawler (01), along with communication equipment and six (06) additional suspects, also believed to be involved in drug smuggling.
This morning (25 Jan 26), the two intercepted fishing trawlers, along with fourteen (14) sacks laden with suspected narcotics and the suspects, were brought to the Dikovita Fisheries Harbour.
An expert examination by the Police Narcotic Bureau confirmed that the fourteen (14) sacks contained more than 184 kilograms of heroin and over 112 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (crystal methamphetamine).
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara, the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and the Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasuriya, inspected the narcotics at the Dikovita harbour.
The Deputy Minister of Defence said that the current administration has initiated several projects for national development. As a flagship initiative, under the directives and guidance of the President, and under the supervision of the
Ministry of Defence, well-coordinated anti-narcotic raids have been launched.
This effort, part of “A Nation United” National Mission, involves the tri-forces, police, and all intelligence agencies working together under a coordinated plan to ensure that drug smugglers have no opportunity to bring narcotics into the country, he opined. He further stated that despite the national disaster situation, the state machinery, including the tri-forces, the police, and the public at large, remains united in rebuilding the nation, no room will be left for drug trafficking, which poses a severe threat to national security and public safety. Those
who engage in or support drug trafficking, under the cover of fishing activities, will find no escape, he added.
The Deputy Minister also reaffirmed that the tri-forces, police, and all law enforcement agencies are fully committed to their duty of suppressing this menace.
The Deputy Minister of Defence reported that, throughout 2025, a series of highly successful operations were conducted leading to numerous arrests. This was achieved through close coordination and mutual cooperation among the tri-services, the police, the Special Task Force, Police Narcotics Bureau, local law enforcement and international agencies. He noted that this
same spirit of cooperation and commitment has continued into 2026, resulting in the seizure of a large stockpile of drugs.
On behalf of the Honourable President, he extended gratitude to all who contributed to these efforts, specifically acknowledging the Commander of the Navy, the Inspector General of Police, the Police Narcotic Bureau, and the crews of the Navy’s Offshore
Patrol Vessels.
Moreover, the Deputy Minister declared that drug smuggling has become a national crisis, fueled by youth involvement and social crime. With borders secured under the “Nation United” National Mission, he warned traffickers to cease operations and urged users to abandon the destructive habit.
The Deputy Minister urged the public to report suspected drug smugglers to law enforcement via the hotlines 1818 or 1997 and also commended the role of media institutions and journalists in raising public awareness about the dangers of narcotics through responsible reporting.
Meanwhile, the two (02) multi-day fishing trawlers, along with a haul of narcotics, eleven (11) suspects, and communication equipment, were handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for
further investigation and legal proceedings.
Tanzania 131 in 38.3 overs (Acrey Pascal 55; Nihar Parmar 4-30, Nikhil Pol 3-23) lost to Japan 136/1 in 28.2 overs (Nihar Parmar 53*, Taylor Waugh 47) by nine wickets
[Cricbuzz]
New Zealand 135 in 36.2 overs (RS Ambrish 4-29, Henil Patel 3-23) lost to India 130/3 in 13.3 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 40, Ayush Mhatre 53) by 7 wickets [DLS Method]
[Cricbuzz]
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