BANGLADESH denied Ireland a famous win by defending a small total and winning a thrilling World Cup game in Mirpur by 27 runs.
The co-hosts of the tournament threatened to blast their way to a huge total before a disciplined Ireland fielding effort took pace off the ball and broke through the Bangladesh batting order.
Despite a lifeless pitch, with little bounce or spin, Bangladesh’s total of 205 all out, four balls short of using their full 50 overs, looked under par.
Ireland lost wickets at regular intervals in the chase, but kept on terms with the run-rate.
An exemplary spell from Shafiul Islam, however, who finished with figures of two for 24 from eight overs, got Bangladesh over the line in front of a rapturous home crowd.
Ireland were playing their opening match of the tournament, while Bangladesh made a single change from their defeat to India, replacing Mahmudullah with Mohammad Ashraful.
Ireland must have feared the worst after a breakneck start from the Bangladeshi opening duo of Imrul Kayes and Tamim Iqbal.
After just five overs the pair had crashed the ball to all parts of the ground, bringing up a score of 49 without loss.
Ireland brought on John Mooney to bowl, and with veteran Trent Johnston rediscovering his line, the Associate nation started to control the game.
Kayes fell, stumped off a wide from Mooney, thanks to the superb work of Northamptonshire wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien.
Ed Joyce then threw down the stumps to run-out Junaid Siddique, and danger man Tamim Iqbal followed shortly afterwards having scooped a catch to Ireland skipper William Porterfield after Andre Botha’s first ball to leave Bangladesh reeling at 68 for three.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasasn threatened to restore order in harness with Mushfiqur Rahim, but when he went, Botha clinging on to a superb return catch, the runs dried up.
Mushfiqur and Raqibul Hasan struggled to get going as 18-year-old spinner George Dockrell bowled an exemplary spell of slow left-arm, while the likes of Paul Stirling and the medium paces continued to apply pressure.
Wickets began to fall as Bangladesh tried – and failed – to get the run-rate up. Mushfiqur hit against Dockrell’s spin and looped a catch up to square leg – and Ashraful repeated the trick the following over, as the Irishman picked up figures of two for 23 on World Cup debut.
Raqibul Hasan then attempted a suicidal run, caught well short of his ground.
Enterprising shots from Naeem Islam got Bangladesh past 200, but Shakib’s side would have been disappointed to only be defending 205.
Shakib turned to spin almost immediately in the search for Irish wickets.
Stirling, having exercised caution early in his knock, had a rush of blood to the head and was stumped in the sixth over.
That brought Ed Joyce to the crease, returning to the Ireland fold and playing his first one-day international for the team.
He looked to anchor the innings as a full house bayed for Bangladesh wickets, and that looked all the more important when Porterfield was next out, caught at short midwicket off Shakib’s first ball.
Joyce and Niall O’Brien settled into a partnership, but having put on a stand worth 39 Joyce got a leading edge back to Ashraful, who also accounted for Andrew White soon after.
O’Brien looked at ease, as did younger brother Kevin, who joined him at the crease.
Niall fell when well-set, flipping one out to the leg-side when well set, and Kevin, having threatened to take the game away once more from the Tigers with Botha, perished in the same fashion.
That was Shafiul’s first wicket, a gamble which paid off for Shakib on a pitch which had done few favours for the pacemen.
But with Kevin O’Brien’s exit with 54 runs still required Ireland’s hopes were extinguished, with Shafiul bowling full and straight to mop up the tail, and nobody being able to marshal the chase.
It was a disappointing defeat for Ireland, who targeted the game as a crucial one to their hopes of qualification – but Bangladesh have saved themselves from embarrassment in front of their home crowd and given themselves a boost ahead of a match against the West Indies.

BANGLADESH innings
T. Iqbal c Porterfield b Botha    44
I. Kayes stp. N. O’Brien b Mooney    12
J. Siddique run-out    3
M. Rahim c White b Dockrell    36
Shakib Al Hasan c & b Botha    16
R. Hasan run-out (White)    38
M. Ashraful c White b Dockrell    1
N. Islam c Dockrell b Johnston    29
S. Islam lbw b Botha    2
A. Razzak b Johnston    11
R. Hossain not out    2
Extras: (b-2, w-8, nb-1)    11
Total: (all out, 49.2 overs )    205
Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-61, 3-68, 4-86, 5-147, 6-151, 7-159, 8-170, 9-193.
Bowling: Rankin 9-0-62-0 (w-4), Johnston 8.2-0-40-2 (nb-1), Mooney 7-0-25-1 (w-1), Botha 9-1-32-3 (w-1), Dockrell 10-2-23-2, Stirling 4-0-13-0, K. O’Brien 2-0-8-0.

IRELAND innings
W. Porterfield c Hasan b Al Hasan    20
P. Stirling stp. Rahim b Razzak    9
E. Joyce c & b Ashraful    16
N. O’Brien c Iqbal b Al Hasan    38
A. White b Ashraful    10
K. O’Brien c sub b S. Islam    37
A. Botha b S. Islam    22
J. Mooney b N. Islam    0
T. Johnston lbw b S. Islam    6
G. Dockrell not out    4
B. Rankin c Siddique b S. Islam    3
Extras: (lb-9, w-4)    13
Total: (all out, 45 overs)    178
Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-36, 3-75, 4-93, 5-110, 6-151, 7-164, 8-168, 9-171.
Bowling: Shafiul Islam 8-1-21-4 (w-2), Razzak 8-0-30-1, Naeem Islam 9-1-36-1, Shakib Al Hasan 8-0-28-2 (w-1), Ashraful 9-0-42-2 (w-1), Hossain 3-0-12-0.