Paul Stirling blamed fatigue for a disappointing eight-wicket defeat by Bangladesh in the deciding T20 international in Chattogram that saw Ireland’s three-week tour end on its lowest note.

After winning his third successive toss, Stirling could only watch at the non-striker’s end as his hopes of becoming the first Ireland captain to win a series in one of the hardest countries to tour all but vanished in the space of five overs.

The skipper got his side off to what has become their customary good start, adding 38 with Tim Tector and despite the latter being bowled for 17, the ball after hitting a straight six, a score of 50-1 after five overs was impressive on a tired pitch.

The next handful of overs proved decisive, though, as the Boys in Green stalled to the tune of 16 runs and the loss of three wickets: Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker and Curtis Campher.

Stirling ended a sequence of seven overs without a boundary by crunching a straight drive, but then holed out to deep square leg next ball and, with none of the remaining batsmen able to better a run a ball, a total of 117 all out was not defendable.

“I think we just ran out of steam today,” Stirling, who top scored with 38 from 27 balls, said.

“This last game of the tour sort of felt like that. We weren’t at our best. The crucial period was between the sixth and twelfth overs and that probably cost us the match.

“We just didn’t have enough on the board. I think 140-150 would have been ok.”

For the home side Tanzid Hasan took five catches — the record for an outfielder in T20 internationals — and followed up with a rapid 55 not out to hurry his team a win with 38 balls to spare that secured the series 2-1.