Shanto, Hridoy, Mushfiqur set up Bangladesh's dramatic win over Ireland

Bangladesh batters had their work cut out as they were given a stiff target of 320 in 45 overs. But after a magnificent century from Najmul Hossain Shanto and a fifty from Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim held his nerves to guide Bangladesh to a three-wicket win.

Mushfiqur scored 36* off 28 balls with the help of four boundaries, one of them coming in the last ball of the match. 

They lost both their openers inside the first 10 overs and the job looked difficult with required run rate increasing every ball.

Shakib Al Hasan (26 off 27) walked out at number four and settled down nicely with five boundaries before handing one straight to George Dockrell at point off Curtis Campher. He added a quick 61 off 47 with Shanto, who overcame a slow start and kept the scoreboard moving with regular strike rotation and boundaries every now and then.

Towhid Hridoy once again was impressive with his strike rotation and boundary hitting. He and Shanto were hardly troubled by the Ireland bowlers. The partnership of 131 off 18 overs for the fourth wicket not only brought Bangladesh back in the game but also gave them a big chance to win the game.

Hridoy hit five fours and three sixes in his 58-ball-68 and his six in the 33rd over off Graham Hume over deep midwicket was one of the shots of the game.

Shanto notched up his maiden ODI hundred in just 83 deliveries. It was the joint-second quickest hundred by a Bangladesh batter in ODIs away from home.

Shanto decided to step on the accelerator after the hundred but again lost his wicket playing the pull shot, one of his most productive ones. He scored 117 off 93 with the help of 12 fours and three maximums. 

Bangladesh still required 63 off 49 after Shanto's dismissal. Mehidy Hasan Miraz hit three boundaries in his brisk 12-ball-19. His dismissal in the 40th over left Mushfiqur to do the rest - 34 off 32.

Taijul Islam showed good enough resistance for 12 balls before he missed a full and straight ball to get lbw in the penultimate over.

Shoriful Islam, who had a forgettable day with the ball, smacked the ball down the ground first up to bring the equation down to seven off nine.

Mushfiqur Rahim showed great presence of mind to run to the other end as Shoriful missed one off Little to gain strike. He retained it by running a single in the final ball of the 44th over.

Mushfiqur played two dots off Mark Adair and hit a high full toss to Campher which was called a no-ball. Mushfiqur ramped the ball for four, much to the delight of the Bangladeshi crowd in Chelmsford. 

Earlier, Harry Tector (140 off 113) played an absolute masterclass of knock. It was the highest score for him in ODIs.

Tamim Iqbal won the toss and chose to field first in overcast conditions. Hasan Mahmud bowled a terrific opening spell, constantly taking the ball past the outside edge of the batters. The odd one nipped back and one of such balls led to the undoing of Paul Stirling (0 off 2) as Mushfiqur Rahim took a catch diving to his weaker side. 

Stephen Doheny was dismissed by Hasan too. The pacer this time induced the outside-edge of the batter and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took a great catch at backward point. 

Harry Tector joined skipper Andy Balbirnie after the fall of the second wicket. They started a bit cautiously but soon picked up the pace as batting began to get easier. Balbirnie scored 42 off 57 and added 98 off 104 with Tector who went pretty much run-a-ball in the partnership. 

Lorcan Tucker (16 off 11) started off brilliantly with three fours but his innings was short-lived as he became Shoriful Islam's second victim. Curtis Campher too couldn't hang around for long. 

At 167 for five, Ireland needed someone to support a rampant Tector who had already picked up his half-century. 

Tector and Dockrell forged an extraordinary partnership of 115 off just 11.2 overs with both of them going great guns. Tector notched up his fourth hundred in ODIs off 93 balls and cut loose after that. The right-hander scored 40 off the 20 balls he faced after the hundred. 

Tector hit 10 sixes in the innings and five of them came against left-arm spinner Taijul Islam. Shoriful too leaked runs against him, getting hit for three sixes. They were the two most expensive bowlers for the visitors. 

Ireland smacked 123 off the last 10 overs and a lot of credit for that goes to Dockrell. He hit the ball cleanly both of pacers and spinners and was unbeaten on 74 off 47. Mark Adair played a cameo of 20* off 8.