Bangabandhu Test Series 2021 
West Indies VS Bangladesh 
1st Test Played at ZACS, Chattogram. 

Brief Scorecard at Sumps Day Three 
Bangladesh 1st Innings 430 All Out (Mehedy Meraj 103, Shakib Al Hasan 68, Shadman Islam 59, Mushfiqur Rahim 38, Liton K Das 38, Mominul Haq 26, Najmul Hossain 25, Naeem Hasan 24, Taijul Islam 18, Jomel Warrican 4/ 133, Rakheem Cornwall 2/114)
 
West Indies 1st Innings 259 All Out in 96.1 Overs (Kraig Braithwaite 76, Jermaine Blackwood 68, Joshua Da Silva 42, Kyle Mayers 40, Nkrumah Bonner 17, Mehedy Meraj 4/58, Mustafizur Rahman 2/46, Nayeem Hasan 2/56 and Taijul Islam 2/ 84) 

Bangladesh 2nd Innings 47/3 in 20 Overs (Mominul Haq 31*, Mushfique 10*, Rakheem 2/ 28, Gabriel 1/13)
 
Bangladesh lead by 218 runs with 7 second Innings Wicket at Hand. 

Bangladesh spinners brilliantly exploited turn and uneven bounce triggering dramatic collapse of West Indies late middle order got a huge first innings lead of 171. West Indies responding manly to Bangladesh 430 in the first innings at one stage appeared cruising at 5/253 with follow on target avoided. Once Nayeem broke a great 6th wicket partnership of 99 between Blackwood and Da Silva Bangladesh spinners ran riot. West Indies late middle order and tail got swept away. 5 wickets fell for 6 runs. Though Man Mountain Rakheem appeared as monster striking double blows in his very first over Bangladesh finishing at 47/3 at stumps went ahead by 218 runs. Chasing 300 or batting out about 5 sessions on a turning track would require quality and character which will require miracle happening for the present West Indies team.  

West Indies started day three at 75 /2. Taijul removed Bonner with the first ball of the day caught at slip by Najmul. This brought in debutant Kayle Mayers joining his captain Braithwaite. The pair added valuable 55 runs for the 4th wicket when Braithwaite looking till then shouldered arm to a ball turning in from Nayeem to see his furniture rattled. He scored 76. Mayers looked good scoring 40 before adjudged LBW off the bowing of Meraj. This followed a brilliant fight back by Blackwood and Da Silva producing 99 quality runs. When it appeared safe for West Indies suddenly three Bangladesh spinners appeared like a typhoon sweeping away West Indians. Five wickets fell for addition of only 6 run of which Meraj alone took three. West Indies collapsed from 5/253 to 259 all out conceding a huge lead of 181.

Mehedy produced another sterling performance with the ball taking 4/58. Naeem (2/56) and Taijul (2/84) gave him excellent support. Mustafiz on day one took 2 wickets. For West Indies Brathwaite (76), Blackwwod (68), Da Silva (42) and Mayers (40) were main scorers. 

Drama did not end there. Rakheem Cornwall coming to ball in the very second over struck double blow getting rid of Tamim and Shanto. Bangladesh was suddenly tottering at 1/2. However, captain Mominul stemmed the rot braving the situation. After toiling for a while Shadman also fell to Gabriel scoring 5 in 42 deliveries. Mominul on 31 and Mushfique at 10 were at the wicket till stumps. Bangladesh reaching 47/3 went ahead by 218 runs. Lead of 300 would be enough for Bangladesh for pressing a win. But the question is whether Bangladesh would reach that or whether Bangladesh would risk declaring. With Shakib virtually out of the match there is more drama at store in this intriguing test match.  However, odds are very much in favor of Bangladesh. 

BDST: 1740 HRS, FEB 05, 2021
AP