ICC Test Championship 
Bangabandhu Test Series 
Bangladesh VS West Indies 
2nd Match Played at SBNCS Dhaka 
Brief Scorecard at Stumps Day Two 

West Indies First Innings 409 All Out in 142.2 overs (Joshua Da Silva 92, Nkrumah Bonner 90, Aljari Josef 82, Kraig Braithwaite 47, John Campbell 36, Jermaine Blackwood 28, Abu Jayed Rahi 4/98, Taijul Islam 4/108, Soumya Sarkar 1/ 48, Mehedy Hasan Miraz 1/78)) 
Bangladesh 1st Innings 105/4 in 35.5 Overs (Tamim Iqbal 44, Mushfiqur Rahim 27*, Mominul Haq 21, Gabriel 2/31, Rakheem Cornwall 1/18, Aljarri Joseph 1/34) 

Bangladesh trails by 304 runs with 6 wickets at hand. 

In a must win Dhaka test for leveling the series and salvaging some pride Bangladesh at stumps of day two was struggling to avoid following on. Responding to West Indies first innings score of 409 all out Bangladesh was looking pathetic at ……/4. As scoring runs on this sluggish wicket would become increasingly difficult the question of Bangladesh winning can be taken out of the question. Bangladesh has to try first for avoiding the ignominy of following on and batting well for avoiding series white wash.  Enterprising middle order batting of Nkrumah Bonner (90) and Joshua Da Silva (92) and a punishing (82) by Aljarri Josef paved the way for well above average (409) first innings score at SBNCS. Most importantly WI batting almost 5 sessions of the test made it difficult for Bangladesh to plan the response. An explosive opening burst of Gabriel blew away Soumya and Nazmul within the wink of an eye took winds out of Bangladesh sail. From pathetic looking 11/2 in the 3rd over Tamim and Mominul choose counter attacking in T20 style to neutralize the aggression of West Indies bowling. Tamim played few delightful strokes, Mominul was also looking good in the 54 runs third wicket partnership. Gabriel bowled at pace and aimed the rib cage of Bangladeshi batsmen kept pegging away. Rakheem finally enticed Mominul nicking behind scoring 21. Tamim should have restrained and play the anchor role. But his reckless attitude led to his demise at 44. His flamboyance ultimately came to no avail. Loosing 4 for 71 Bangladesh was looking down the barrel. Bangladesh finally realized that it was test match not T20 they were playing. Mushfique and Mominul resolutely defended against very probing attack. At stumps Bangladesh was 120/4. Mushfique was batting at ……from …...balls and Mithun showed extreme patience scoring ………...in …... balls. Bangladesh has very difficult task at hand first reaching 210 and then go as close as possible to West Indies innings. Otherwise, it will not be possible avoiding defeat.
 
Earlier on the day West Indies starting at 223 /5 batted with a plan. In the first session Bangladesh could only take the prized wicket of Bonner (90) after the solid partnership between Bonner and Da Silva added very useful 88 runs. Between lunch and tea Bangladesh bowlers looked flat and predictable. Joshua Da Silva displayed a top-quality brand of test cricket and his partner Aljarri Joseph brutally attacked Bangladesh attack. Their bright 118 runs 7th wicket partnership in all possibilities was the series defining innings. Da Silva scored his career best 92 in 187. It was a mixture of dogged defense and elegance. Joseph ‘s innings was explosive. He scored 82 in 108 balls striking 8 fours and five huge sixes. West Indies innings crumbled as soon as Abu Jayed put Joesph’s bright innings to an end.  Exploiting whatever life, he could extract Abu Jayed Rahi finished with a figure of 4/ 58. Taijul with his marathon spell of 46.2 overs also took 4 for 108. Bangladesh desperately missed a genuine front line pace bowler to share the exploits in tandem with Rahi.  Meraj and Nayeem looked flat. Bangladesh one track bowling strategy failed yet again.
 
Bangladesh strategy of bringing in Soumya to replace injured Shadman ahead of Saif Hasan boomeranged at he fell to Gabriel in the very first over for a dreaded duck. Persistence with Nazmul Shanto also failed yet again. After playing a lovely looking cover drive he also succumbed in the very next ball. Observers failed to understand why for Nazmul Shanto Bangladesh destabilized the top order batting? Shanto failed in all three ODI and in the first test. From 11/2 Tamim playing in   his own belligerent style and Mominul resisting as much as possible added useful 58 runs in the 3rd wicket partnership. But this T20 style batting at some stage should have been restrained. West Indies bowlers were looking for blood; Tamim and Mominul fell in their trap. An unbeaten 30 by Tamim at stumps could serve much better than his 44 in 52 deliveries. At 71/4 Bangladesh was huffing and puffing. However, with back to the wall Mushfique (26* in 60 balls) and Mithun (6* in 61 deliveries) survived the day. Bangladesh finishing at 105/4 is still 304 behind. The wicket has started playing few tricks. The task for Bangladesh is well cut out. Mushfique must continue anchoring the innings. 

Wicket is gripping and ODD ball is turning sharply. The old ball will reverse. At the pace of Gabriel and Josef Bangladesh middle order and lower order will have to play out of their skin.
 
Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty. But it can be said with some certainty now that a win by Bangladesh can be taken out of the equation. It is to be seen whether Bangladesh can avoid defeat and series white wash.  Bangladesh can only blame the strategy of team think tank for reaching the stage of being stuck in quick sand. It appeared that Bangladesh learned no lessons. They just played to the hands of West Indies. The prospect of series white wash looms large now. 

Now the question raised, Can Bangladesh avoid humiliation? 

BDST: 1922 HRS, FEB 12, 2021
AP