Harry Tector’s career-best 140 came in vain for Ireland as they lost a high-scoring ODI thriller to Bangladesh by three wickets at Chelmsford.
Tector’s fourth hundred in his last nine one-day internationals propelled Ireland to 319-6 in a game reduced to 45 overs a side following earlier rain, before Bangladesh reached their target with three balls to spare.
Tector, 23, plundered 10 sixes – the most by an Irishman in an ODI innings – during his 113-ball knock, while George Dockrell struck four maximums in his unbeaten 74 from 47 deliveries.
Ireland reduced Bangladesh to 40-2 in the reply before Najmul Hossain Shanto (117) helped his side to 232-3 in the 34th over.
Three further wickets before the 40-over mark gave Ireland hope – Shanto caught by Tector off Curtis Campher – and there was a dramatic finale with Bangladesh requiring four runs from Josh Little’s last four balls.
Little’s next delivery was deemed a no-ball on height grounds and Mushfiqur Rahim ramped the re-bowled delivery to the boundary to put the Tigers 1-0 up in the three-match series with one game remaining.
Tuesday’s series opener ended in a no-result because of rain.
Ireland needed to win the series 3-0 to have a chance of qualifying automatically for this autumn’s 50-over World Cup in India but the washout confirmed South Africa as the eighth and final direct entrants, alongside India, England, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Ireland will now enter a qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe across June and July as they look to claim one of the final two spots, with Scotland and former World Cup champions West Indies and Sri Lanka among their rivals for those places.
The third and final ODI against Bangladesh takes place at Chelmsford on Sunday.
