Mirpur: Bangladesh’s promising start to the first Test against West Indies unravelled in spectacular fashion on the second morning at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday, as the hosts lost their last seven wickets for just 59 runs to be bowled out for 272.
Resuming at 213/3 after a bad-light-curtailed opening day, Bangladesh looked set for a big first-innings total. Shadman Islam, unbeaten on 99 overnight, needed just two deliveries to complete his third Test century, working debutant Joshua Bishop off his pads for a couple. But the opener could add only a few more runs before Bishop trapped him leg before wicket for 105 off 234 balls, with 11 fours — and the review could not save him, with ball-tracking showing three reds.
What followed was a free fall. Towhid Hridoy, who had retired hurt on 42 on the opening day after suffering muscle discomfort, returned to the crease but departed without adding a run, clean bowled by Bishop after a wild slog across the line. At 221/5, Bangladesh were suddenly in trouble.
Litton Das, unbeaten on 10 overnight, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz added 32 runs to push the score past 250, briefly offering hope of a rescue of the kind the pair have produced many times before for Bangladesh. But Warrican broke the stand by bowling Miraz for 15 with a straight one that crashed into the stumps, and the lower order folded completely.
Shamar Joseph removed Nayeem Hasan (5) and Hasan Mahmud (6), while Warrican returned to dismiss Taijul Islam (1) and Shoriful Islam (0). Bangladesh lost their last five wickets for only 19 runs, and the innings ended a few minutes before the scheduled lunch break. Litton remained unbeaten on 34 off 88 balls, having watched seven partners come and go in a morning of carnage on a pitch offering variable bounce.
Warrican finished with 5/53 — his fourth five-wicket haul in Test cricket — while Bishop, on debut, and Joseph took two wickets each. For Bangladesh, Shadman top-scored with 105, with Hridoy’s 42, Mominul Haque’s 28 and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 19 the only other contributions of note.
The collapse hands West Indies the initiative in a match Bangladesh had controlled for much of the first day. The visitors, who won the toss decision battle by losing it — Bangladesh chose to bat first — will now begin their first innings with the chance to build a lead on a surface already showing signs of uneven bounce.
Read the Day 1 report: https://t20star.com/shadman-stranded-on-99-as-bangladesh-reach-213-3-on-bad-light-curtailed-opening-day-in-mirpur/
Brief scores: Bangladesh 272 all out (Shadman Islam 105, Towhid Hridoy 42, Litton Das 34 not out; Jomel Warrican 5/53, Joshua Bishop 2 wickets, Shamar Joseph 2 wickets).
