On a wicket reputed to favour the side batting first, Kenyan skipper Asif Karim opted to bat after calling the coin correctly. Not that it bothered Bangladesh much because Kenya were all out for 236 in 49 overs.
The venue, which holds the bizarre distinction of welcoming participating teams in every match with a brief shower lived up to its uncanny reputation when the eventful first session of the day-night affair was marked by a light drizzle at the onset of the innings.
The battle between the two familiar foes got off to a sensational start. Bangladesh struck in the very fourth over when left-arm seamer Morshed Ali Khan had Kennedy Otieno brilliantly caught by his new-ball partner Hasibul Hossain at deep square leg. The right-hand opener was on only five when he mis-timed an intended pull into the safe hands of Hasibul.
Hasibul, who failed to capture any wicket in his controlled four overs with the new ball, was the busiest man in the field, holding another catch to dismiss dangerman Maurice Odumbe (20) and effecting a vital run out; that of opener Dipak Chudasama who made 36. But, apart from Hasibul, on the whole Bangladesh's fielding was at best sub-standard, marked by dropped catches and unpardonable fumblings.
Bangladesh wrested the early initiative when they reduced Kenya to 29 for two in 8.3 overs with strongman Steve Tikolo back in the dressing room after scoring 13 off 19 balls punctuated with three powerful hits across the rope. But the most experienced Kenyan batsmen survived a close call on nine when umpire Mohite turned down a confident caught behind appeal from Morshed in the eighth over. To the horror of every Bangladeshi watching the Live coverage, the television replay confirmed a big nick. In that eventful over, Tikolo, after surviving the close call, smashed the next delivery down to mid-wicket. But the ball, which was travelling like a bullet, hit a sleeping dog near the boundary much to the amusement of a few thousand spectators.
The Kenyans, however, recovered considerably from a disappointing start with their vice-captain Maurice Odumbe and opener Chudasama putting on 55 runs for the third wicket. After Odumbe's inevitable departure from a rash shot, Kenya were 89 for four in 20.3 overs. But it were Ravindu Shah and Hitesh Modi, who consolidated the Kenyan innings. The left-right combination of Ravindu and Hitesh produced 67 runs for the fifth wicket.
Debutante Ravindu scored a disciplined 52 off 65 ball embellished with five hits across the rope while Hitesh fell for 40. Both were dismissed by Enamul Haq, the experienced slow left-arm spinner, who finished with two for 45 in his 10 overs after making his tour debut. However, it was Mohammed Rafi-que, who returned most succ-essful with three for 56 in his 10 overs.
PM congratulates Bangladesh team
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated the Bangladesh cricket team for its first ever victory in a one-day international match against Kenya at Hyderabad, India last night, reports BSS.
In a message, sent to Bangladesh Captain Akram Khan and team manager Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, she wished them all success in the remaining matches.