Bangladesh suffer seven-wicket defeat in first Test against West Indies

Poor batting handed Bangladesh a seven-wicket defeat in the first Test of the two-match series against West Indies on Sunday at Antigua.

The hosts needed only 35 to win the match and they scored the required runs playing seven overs on the fourth day. John Campbell hit Najmul Hossain Shanto for a six over the long-on in the 22nd over and sealed the match.

Campbell and Jermaine Blackwood remained unbeaten for 58 and 26 respectively.

Bangladesh scored only 103 runs after being sent to bat first in this match after losing the toss. Six of Bangladesh’s batters have suffered a duck each— the first instance of a Test team registering six ducks in consecutive Test matches.

The previous Test when six Bangladeshi batters failed to score even a single run was the second Test against Sri Lanka last month.

Shakib Al Hasan, who returned as Bangladesh captain, hit a fifty and riding on that, Bangladesh passed the 100-run mark in the first innings. Tamim Iqbal (29) and Liton Das were the other two batters to have scored a double-digit total.

Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph have scalped three wickets each.

In reply, West Indies scored 265 runs with the fifties from Kraigg Brathwaite (94), Jermaine Blackwood (63), and secured a lead of 162 runs. For Bangladesh, Mehidy Hasan Miraz bagged four wickets conceding 59 runs.

Bangladeshi fielders were also sloppy in the field. They missed at least four catches. Had they not missed those, the hosts might have not been able to secure a big lead.

In the second innings, Bangladesh’s top order failed to impress once again. They lost four wickets in the first session of day three which nearly confirmed a defeat for the visitors.

Shakib and Nurul Hasan Sohan added 122 runs in the seventh wicket stand that helped Bangladesh to avoid an innings defeat. But they managed only a paltry lead of 83 runs.

Kemar Roach, the premium pacer of the hosts, has registered a five-wicket haul in the second innings. It was his tenth five-wicket haul in the format.

In pursuit of a target of 84 runs, West Indies lost three wickets for just 9 runs as Khaled Ahmed shone with the ball. He bagged all three wickets that the hosts lost at the end of day three.

But John Campbell and Jermaine Blackwood assured that the host would not lose any further wickets to end day three.

“We have suffered so many soft dismissals in this match,” Russell Domingo, Bangladesh’s head coach told the media after the play of day three. “We have scored only 103 in the first innings and 245 in the second, none was enough for us. I believe the players are suffering from a lack of confidence. Players like (Najmul Hossain) Shanto and Mominul (Haque) have no confidence. In cricket, you need the confidence to do well.”

The hosts started day four aiming to score only 35 runs to seal the match and lead the series 1-0, and they did it comfortably without losing any further wickets.

The second Test of the series will begin on June 24 at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia. After that, both teams will lock horns in a three-match ODI and three-match T20I series.