The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful put his name in international cricket history scoring the fastest "fifty" in the Twenty20 Cricket against West Indies in the ICC World Championship in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The 23-year-old right-handed batsman emerged as the fastest fifty maker in the 20-over-a-side internationals playing just 20 balls with seven fours and three sixes.

He reached the 50 mark with a mighty six over the fine leg off an Fidel Edwards delivery to overhaul Sri Lankan bating sensation Sanath Jayasuriya's record of fastest fifty off 23 balls in the Twenty20 cricket

With the day's outstanding bating, Ashraful, the World's youngest century maker in test debut, guided Bangladesh to a "super eight" berth in the ongoing ICC World Twenty20 Cricket with an historic six-wicket victory over West Indies eliminating the Caribbean team in the first round.

This was the first victory for Bangladesh against West Indies in any form of international cricket playing 13 ODIs and 4 Tests.

Bangladesh also eliminated former world champions India in the first round of the last ICC World Cup held in West Indies early this year.

The day's man of the match Ashraful's excellence with the bat was a sweet revenge against West Indies to whom he conceded 55 runs for a wicket in four overs with his leg spin bowling.

Ashraful in a 109-run third wicket partnership with Aftab Ahmed scored 61 runs off 27 balls with seven fours and three sixes.

Earlier, in a match of the NatWest Series in England in 2004, Ashraful also led Bangladesh to another historic victory against World champions Australia scoring a century.

Bangladesh (165/4, Ashraful 61, Aftab NO 62) beat West Indies (164/8, D Smith 51, Shakib 4/34) by six wickets to reach the second round of the first ever ICC World Twenty20 Cricket

Bangladesh v West Indies T20 scoreboard

Scoreboard of the group A match between Bangladesh and the West Indies in the Twenty20 world championships at the Wanderers here on Thursday:

West Indies

C. Gayle c Kapali b Rasel 0

Devon Smith b Razzak 51

S. Chanderpaul c Mortaza

b Razzak 37

R. Sarwan st Rahim

b Shakib 5

M. Samuels c Shakib

b Ashraful 27

D. Ramdin c Rahim

b Shakib 2

Dwayne Smith b Shakib 29

Dwayne Bravo st Rahim

b Shakib 2

D. Powell not out 1

Extras: (lb2, w8) 10

Total (for eight wickets) 164

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Gayle), 2-95 (Chanderpaul), 3-104 (Devon Smith), 4-126 (Samuels), 5-131 (Ramdin), 6-155 (Sarwan), 7-157 (Bravo), 8-164 (Dwayne Smith).

Bowling: Rasel 4-1-10-1, Razzak 4-0-25-2, Mortaza 2-0-16-0 (w3), Reza 2-0-22-0, Shakib 4-0-34-4 (w1), Ashraful 4-0-55-1

Overs: 20

Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal c Chanderpaul

b Rampaul 10

Mohammad Nazimuddin c Sarwan b Rampaul 1

Aftab Ahmed not out 62

Mohammad Ashraful

c Gayle b Sarwan 61

Shakib Al Hasan c Powell

b Sarwan 13

Alok Kapali not out 5

Extras: (lb4, w8, nb1) 3

Total (for four wickets) 165

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Nazimuddin), 2-28 (Tamim), 3-137 (Ashraful), 4-159 (Shakib)

Bowling: Powell 3-0-28-0, Rampaul 4-0-35-2 (w2), Gayle 4-0-21-0, Edwards 3-0-33-0 (nb1, w1), Bravo 2-0-34-0 (w1), Sarwan 2-0-10-2.

Overs: 18

Bangladesh won by six wickets

Toss: Bangladesh

Umpires: Mark Benson (ENG) and Nigell Long (ENG)

TV umpire: Daryl Harper (AUS)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)