Shakib Al Hasan starred with bat and ball to thwart England’s hopes of an ODI series clean sweep of Bangladesh and spoil Rehan Ahmed’s limited-overs debut.
Ahmed made more history in Chattogram as, aged 18 years and 205 days, he became the youngest male to play an ODI for England – he already holds the Test record – and took a wicket with his final delivery.
He finished with one for 62 and effected a run-out but that was overshadowed by Shakib, who top-scored with 75 off 71 balls in Bangladesh’s 246 all out in 48.5 overs, which helped to seal a 50-run win.
England raced out of the traps before stumbling from 54 without loss to 55 for three and were skittled for 196 with 41 balls unused, as Shakib moved to 300 ODI wickets after claiming four for 35.
That included the wicket of James Vince, who shrugged off a couple of fielding errors and looked the most composed England batter on another awkward surface before falling for 38 off 44 balls.
It was a meek end to what has been an encouraging 2-1 series win for England in conditions that might mimic what they will come up against in India when they defend their World Cup crown.
In their final ODI until September, Jofra Archer took three wickets and Sam Curran and Adil Rashid two apiece after Bangladesh won the toss, with the hosts grateful to Shakib’s counter-attacking efforts following patient innings from Najmul Hossain Shanto (53) and Mushfiqur Rahim (70).
Curran was again potent with the new ball as he drew a thin edge when Litton Das lazily hung out his bat.
While Curran conceded 14 runs in his second over, four came via overthrows, and he ended it by snaring Tamim Iqbal, who was undone by late swing as a leading edge ballooned to point.
Bangladesh’s early struggles were epitomised by 45 dots in the powerplay with Mushfiqur uneasy early on, struggling for timing and edging Archer between wicketkeeper and a lone, wider slip. He and Najmul eventually settled into a rhythm and each reached 69-ball fifties.
But a 98-run stand ended as Najmul hesitated after being called through and was short of his ground at the non-striker’s end when Ahmed collected Jos Buttler’s throw and nonchalantly whipped off the bails.
The run-out was the highlight of rookie Ahmed’s first spell but he bowled steadily in his 6-0-33-0 before giving way to England’s master leg-spinner Rashid, who showed his enduring class by castling Mushfiqur with a wrong’un after he missed a sweep while Mahmudullah was bowled through the gate.
Shakib attempted to inject some impetus and hammered Curran down the ground for successive fours but he was fast running out of partners.
Ahmed, the only Englishman to bowl a full 10 overs, had success for his toil at the last when he took a return catch off Mehidy Hasan Miraz after a sharp-spinning googly.
Archer polished off the innings – although Shakib, penultimate man out, was only dismissed by an outstanding diving catch from Jason Roy, who alongside Phil Salt got off to a flyer in the chase.
Salt drove and pulled well but was also guilty of a couple of loose wafts and his luck expired when he guided a back-foot cut to cover, punching his bat three times as he trudged off for 35 off 25 balls.
Shakib had two in two when Roy went for a cut that was too close to him and was bowled by one that kept low on 19 moments after Dawid Malan had skewed to mid-on for a two-ball duck as England lost three wickets in eight deliveries.
Curran was promoted above Buttler and Moeen Ali to number five and helped to stem the flow of wickets initially alongside Vince, who was more fluent than his junior partner.
Both batters lofted Mehidy for sixes but the off-spinner had his revenge when Curran toe-ended to long-off for 23 off 49 balls.
Vince still seemed assured and creamed Shakib back down the ground but was out next ball, getting a tickle to one that drifted away from him.
When Moeen was yorked by the saluting Ebadot Hossain, proving more than an adequate stand-in for Taskin Ahmed, it felt England’s hopes were on Buttler.
But the England captain fell after missing a reverse sweep to Taijul Islam with 89 required in 95 balls.
While Chris Woakes provided resistance with 34, Ahmed became Shakib’s 300th ODI victim by slamming to short midwicket for two as England slid to a first defeat in four ODIs.
