It wasn't merely the fact Bangladesh completed the second-highest run chase in World Cup history but the yawning ease with which they did it. Of course, nothing seems impossible in cricket any more but there was something truly jaw-dropping in the way Bangladesh, inspired by the magnificent Shakib Al Hasan, chased down 322 with 8.3 overs to spare to pulverise the West Indies' semi-final ambitions. This World Cup had lacked a thrilling run chase but this half-way house fixture in the group stage - one billed as a must-win for both sides - compensated for that. And then some. Andre Russell appears dejected after during West Indies group stage defeat to Bangladesh Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh celebrates hitting a century with Liton Das at Taunton Al Hasan hit 124 not-out as Bangladesh easily chased down a target of 322 set by the Windies Al Hasan was player of the match but Bangladesh were helped by a hopeless fielding display The Windies hit 25 wides alone while it was difficult to count their misfields and overthrows Only Ireland's famous chase of 328 to stun England at Bengaluru in 2011 topped the total Bangladesh effortlessly chased down here at Taunton. Shakib must rank among the most under-appreciated players in world cricket but he well and truly underlined his world class status here, hitting an innings of 124 off 99 balls that will go straight to the all-time World Cup highlights reel and Bangladeshi legend. While nobody expects Bangladesh to make the semi-finals, this win does keep them in touch with the top four. But we can effectively wave goodbye to the West Indies and, on this evidence, good riddance. Though two of their fireworks in Chris Gayle and Andre Russell failed to ignite, their score of 321 for eight, anchored by Shai Hope's 96 and 70 from Evin Lewis, still looked more than competitive. But they chucked it all away with a fielding performance that was torturous to watch. They gifted Bangladesh 25 runs in wides alone with their erratic bowling. There were so many misfields and overthrows you lost count. The short ball Plan A that worked so well in their tournament opener against Pakistan simply hasn't worked since. There didn't appear to be a Plan B. And, perhaps worse of all, their thoroughly disinterested body language even midway through Bangladesh's reply was that of a team waving a giant white flag. To the disappointment of those Somerset locals who recalled Gayle clearing the stands here in the Twenty20 summer of 2016, the West Indies' star turn fell early. Gayle had failed to even get off the mark from 13 balls when he prodded at Mohammad Saifuddin and edged for wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim to take a sharp low catch. Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal takes the catch to dismiss West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer Chris Gayle (C) failed to fire for the Windies and was dismissed for nothing from 13 balls It was left for Lewis and Hope to rebuild from that early setback and they proceeded to do so, albeit at a most un-West Indian pace. Indeed, the 32 runs they crawled to after 10 overs was the lowest opening Powerplay total of the World Cup thus far. It took 63 balls for the first shot to clear the ropes, but the relatively conservative West Indian approach did at least provide a stability to their batting missing against England last Friday. Lewis, who has struggled desperately in this tournament so far, would have been thrilled with a half-century and he worked studiously in ones and twos with Hope to bring about the first West Indian century partnership of the World Cup. They were just starting to ramp things up when Lewis tried to clobber Shakib down the ground and picked out substitute fielder Sabbir Rahman at long off. With Hope happy to be the tortoise to the hares, bigger hitters came in to inflict the damage. Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman took the wicket of West Indies' star Andre Russell Shimron Hetmyer hits a massive six from Mosaddek Hossain as he chalked up 50 for his side Literally in the case of the eager Nicholas Pooran, whose almighty six dislodged one of the terracotta roof tiles on the Sir Ian Botham Stand and dented the ball. Pooran looked in the mood, but the fun was short-lived as he toe-ended another enormous swing and found Soumya Sarkar safe-handed near the rope. These West Indian cannons too often specialise in mere cameos and Shimron Hetmyer crunched three terrific maximums in rocketing to 50 off just 25 balls - the third-fastest half-century of the tournament. But two balls later his stand-clearing exploits were brought to a sudden end when Tamim Iqbal took a brilliant full-stretch catch at midwicket. Andre Russell was even more brief, edging Mustafizur Rahman off his second ball. Nonetheless, West Indies' run rate had surged to such an extent that 330 or more was within view. Jason Holder signalled his intent by smashing a first-ball six off Shakib, then blasted a tournament-best 105 metre shot, but reached only 33. Given the unfashionably pedestrian pace of his innings, it was ironic Hope fell four short of his century when searching for a boundary to finally get there, holing out to Liton Das. Oshane Thomas suffered a heart-in-mouth moment when he clumsily knocked the light-up bails off rehearsing a shot following a missed heave. He was reprieved but 321 felt like a total less than it might have been. Jason Holder, the West Indies captain, hit 33 runs from 15 balls before his dismissal Bangladesh's Liton Das and West Indies' Shai Hope collide in an unsuccessful run out attempt Bangladesh certainly seemed undaunted during the first few overs of their chase, with Sarkar hitting two sixes as they raced past 50 before being fooled by a slower Andre Russell ball with Gayle barely having to move to catch at slip. Their victory chances were always going to depend on a sizeable partnership between Tamim Iqbal and Shakib. While Tamim has failed to convert starts during this World Cup, Shakib has been in glorious form, with that 121 against England in Cardiff the highlight. A clenched fist and a huge cheer from the many Bangladesh fans in the crowd marked the milestone of 6,000 ODI runs for Shakib. The only man with more for Bangladesh was out in the middle with him and it took a moment of magic from Sheldon Cottrell to remove Tamim on the cusp of his half-century. The West Indies attack had frankly looked devoid of ideas and inspiration but that all changed in a flash when Tamim drove directly back at Cottrell who had the instinct to collect and fire it back at the stumps. Tamim was an inch short as he scrambled back. The defeat all but ends any hopes the West Indies had of reaching the World Cup semi-finals Mushfiqur fell cheaply but there remained hope for Bangladesh while the West Indies bowling remained so erratic so often. Russell was visibly struggling with his knees, hobbling away after balls and occasionally going to ground in his follow-through. Twice he left the field disconsolately for treatment. Shakib was reprieved on 55 when he top edged Russell and both wicketkeeper Hope and Shannon Gabriel at fine leg pulled out of the catch in fear of colliding. Shakib overtook Australia's Aaron Finch as the World Cup's leading run scorer and brought up his hundred off 83 balls with a splendid cover drive. Evidently a consummate professional, Shakib barely celebrated, knowing there was still work to be done. He was ably assisted by Liton in the pivotal middle overs of the chase, his recall proving a masterstroke. He took Thomas to the cleaners in the 38th over with three towering sixes in a row to put victory within their grasp. Those two steered them home with Liton pulling another Gabriel short ball to the boundary for four. Simply brilliant. All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility