Sammy wary of Bangladesh fightback as West Indies target series win

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy is taking nothing for granted despite his team's commanding position in the two-Test series against Bangladesh, warning that the hosts will be determined to respond when the sides meet in Sylhet later this week.

West Indies secured an eight-wicket victory in the opening Test in Mirpur to move 1-0 ahead. But Sammy believes Bangladesh, playing at home and under pressure to level the series, will present a difficult challenge in the final match, beginning on November 5.

Sammy knows the character of Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons and expects him to prepare his team for a strong comeback.

"One thing I know about Phil (Simmons) is that he will not make it easy," Sammy said. "He wants to win as well. They have their own goals in the WTC as well."

The West Indies coach, however, is confident his players have the discipline and determination to cope with whatever conditions they encounter in Sylhet.

He pointed to the team's growing understanding of individual roles and the improvement in their overall approach as reasons for his optimism.

Sammy also highlighted a significant difference between the two sides in Mirpur: West Indies' ability to play spin and their bowlers' effectiveness on a turning surface.

"Our spinners outbowled their spinners and our batsmen responded to playing spin better than theirs," he said.

That assessment underlines the challenge facing Bangladesh. Their batters struggled against the visitors' spin attack in both innings, while West Indies' lower-order resistance in the first innings and composed second-innings chase proved decisive.

Sammy also praised captain Roston Chase for maintaining direction within the team during a difficult period in West Indies cricket. He credited Chase's leadership and ability to keep the players focused on their objectives.

West Indies are seeking to complete a series victory in Bangladesh, while the hosts must win in Sylhet to avoid a home-series defeat. With both teams having clear incentives, the final Test will offer Bangladesh an immediate opportunity to answer the questions raised by their Mirpur performance.