Bangladesh, WI clash with plenty to prove
Bangladesh and the West Indies head into their two-match Test series in Chittagong today with plenty to prove, after both teams were severely tested in their previous outings.
While the Windies were, for the most part, outplayed by India in the two-match series in October, Bangladesh nearly became the side Zimbabwe beat for their first overseas Test series victory in 17 years.
The Windies named more or less the same side that played the Tests in India last month.the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Sunil Ambris and Kieran Powell would have learnt plenty from facing Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, and they will hope to make it count against Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan.
Unfortunately for the Windies, they are missing the one player who could have made all the difference – Captain Jason Holder.
A shoulder injury has forced him out of the tour – he will undergo rehabilitation in Barbados – and Kraigg Brathwaite will once again stand in as Skipper.
Mushfiqur Rahim seems to be in the form of his life – he broke records aplenty with his doublecentury in Mirpur last week – and the likes of Mahmudullah Riyad, Mominul Haque and Mehidy all impressed with the bat in the second Test against Zimbabwe.
Mehidy has been special with the ball as well, his five-wicket haul in the second innings saving the series for Bangladesh, but it is
Taijul who will hope to be the real force again
– he took three consecutive fivewicket hauls and was Player-of-theseries against Zimbabwe, and will want more of the same this series.
The last time the Windies toured Bangladesh for a Test series in 2012, they won the two matches quite comfortably.
In fact, you’ve to go all the way back to 2009 for the last time Bangladesh won a Test against the Windies.
Squads: Bangladesh: Shakib al Hasan (Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Mithun, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Ariful Haque, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed and Naeem Hasan.
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Shermon Lewis, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican.
(ICC)