Bangladesh’s day begins with hope, ends in disappointment

The morning of the first day of the Sylhet Test offered a promising start for Bangladesh. After losing the toss and being sent to field, the hosts found early success thanks to pacers Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud. The visiting West Indies side found themselves under pressure, having lost three wickets with only 27 runs on the board.

However, the home side’s bowlers were unable to sustain that initial momentum. Powered by an unbeaten century from Amir Jangoo, the Caribbean side is now well-positioned for a substantial total.

Much like the Dhaka Test, play on the first day in Sylhet concluded early due to poor light, with only 70 overs bowled. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the visitors reached 235 for 4.

Amir Jangoo remains at the crease on 111 off 171 balls, featuring two sixes and 11 fours, while Justin Greaves is batting on 35 off 62 balls, having struck three fours. Pacers Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud claimed two wickets each.

In recent series, Bangladesh has typically fielded three pacers for Tests in Sylhet. However, following their defeat in the Mirpur Test against the West Indies, the team management opted for a combination of two pacers and three spinners in an effort to save the series, a decision that became a major talking point immediately after the toss. In the actual play, the spinners failed to create anywhere near the same level of pressure as Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud; Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Nayeem Hasan all remained wicketless.

Earlier, after winning the toss and choosing to bat at the Sylhet International Stadium, the Caribbean side had reached 13 for 0 after the first four overs. On the first ball of the fifth over, Bangladeshi pacer Taskin Ahmed bowled West Indies opener Brandon King for 9.

Following King’s departure, Kavem Hodge arrived at the crease but did not last long; he was bowled by another Bangladeshi pacer, Hasan Mahmud, for just 1 run.

In the ninth over, Taskin secured a third breakthrough for Bangladesh, claiming the wicket of opener Joshua Da Silva, who departed for 12. Despite losing their first three wickets quickly, the next two batters became a major thorn in Bangladesh’s side. Debutant Wickham, keeping pace with Jangoo, also reached his half-century. Hasan broke their 131-run partnership by bowling Wickham out; in his maiden international Test, Wickham scored 61 runs off 145 balls, including five boundaries.

Jangoo continued to build the innings alongside Greaves for the fifth wicket. He brought up his second career Test century off 149 balls by hitting a six off Taijul. Amir Jangoo became only the third West Indian wicketkeeper-batter to score a century on Asian soil. Play did not progress much further after that, as the day’s proceedings were brought to an early close due to poor light.

-    NS