West Indies clinch eight-wicket win in Mirpur

Nayeem Hasan produced a determined fightback with his maiden Test half-century, but his effort could not prevent Bangladesh from suffering an eight-wicket defeat against West Indies in the opening Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.

Chasing 170 for victory, West Indies reached 170 for two in 35.1 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Brandon King remained unbeaten on 81, while Kavem Hodge made an unbroken 31. John Campbell contributed 49 as the visitors completed the chase with little trouble.

The result was built on West Indies' outstanding spin bowling. After trailing by 27 runs on the first innings, the visitors dismissed Bangladesh for 142 in their second innings, leaving themselves a manageable target.
Roston Chase led the attack with five wickets for 36 runs, while Jomel Warrican claimed four for 63. Their combined effort exposed Bangladesh's inability to cope with sustained pressure on a surface offering assistance to spin.

Bangladesh had resumed the fourth morning at 79 for six, already holding a lead of 106. The hosts needed a substantial contribution from their remaining batters, but Jaker Ali was dismissed for 22 early in the day.
Nayeem then took responsibility, showing patience and composure as wickets continued to fall around him. He struck four boundaries in his 91-ball innings of 52, reaching his first Test fifty from 87 deliveries. His resistance helped Bangladesh add 63 runs on the final morning, but Chase eventually ended the innings by dismissing him to complete his five-wicket haul.

Bangladesh were all out for 142 in 48.4 overs, leaving West Indies with 170 to win.

The visitors had earlier been restricted to 245 in reply to Bangladesh's first-innings total of 272. Shadman Islam had provided the hosts with a strong foundation through his 105, while Nayeem's four wickets had helped Bangladesh secure a narrow advantage.

However, that lead proved insufficient as West Indies turned the contest around with their disciplined spin attack. Warrican, who also took five wickets in the first innings, was named player of the match for his nine-wicket haul.

The second Test of the series is scheduled to begin in Sylhet on November 5, with Bangladesh needing a significant improvement in their batting to level the series.