ICC Test Championship 
Bangabandhu Test Series 
Bangladesh VS West Indies 
2nd Match Played at SBNCS Dhaka 

Brief Scorecard at Stumps Day Four  

West Indies First Innings:  409 All Out in 142.2 overs (Joshua Da Silva 92, Nkrumah Bonner 90, Alzarri 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:  296 All Out in 96.5 Overs (Liton K Das 71, Mehedy Hasan Miraj57 Mushfiqur Rahim 54, Tamim Iqbal 44, Mominul Haq 21, Gabriel 2/31, Rakheem Cornwall 5/18, Alzarri Joseph 1/34)  

West Indies 2nd Innings: 117 All Out In 52.5   Overs (Nkrumah Bonner 38, Joshua Da Silva 20, John Campbell18, Taizul Islam 4/36, Naeem Hasan 3/34, Abu Jayed 2/32, Mehedy Meraj 1/15) 

Bangladesh 2nd Innings: 213 All Out In 56 Overs (Tamim Iqbal 50, Mehedy Hasan Miraj 31, Mominul Haq 26, Liton K Das 22, Rakheem Cornwall 4/105, Kraig Brathwaitte 3/25, Jomel Warrican 3/47)

West Indies Won By 17 Runs 
West Indies Won the Series 2-0.

An Understrength West Indies team without a half a dozen first choice players humiliated Bangladesh unleashing comprehensive white wash in two matches test series. After recording a historic win by 3 wickets chasing successfully 395 in the second innings at Chattogram, they won Dhaka test by 17 runs. Ironically in 2018 Bangladesh white washed full strength West Indies in test in Bangladesh. This evidences eloquently that Bangladesh under the present inept management of Talk Shop BCB is nose diving. However, West Indies deserves accolades for their achievements. Few players playing test cricket for the first time has given strong message to team management for their readiness for main team.
 
Bangladesh appeared at Dhaka test with three changes. Shakib and Shadman were unavailable for injury. Mithun and Soumya were brought in. Mustafiz was replaced with Rahi. Bangladesh lost the toss and was asked to bowl. West Indies batted superbly scoring 409 in the first innings.  It was a great team effort as, Jashua Da Silva (92), Nkrumah Bonner (90), Aljarri Joseph (82), Kraig Brathwaite (47), John Campbell (36) all contributed. Abu Jayed Rahi taking (4/98) underlined the poor strategy of overlooking him at Chattogram. Taijul also took 4/108.

Bangladesh in response batted poorly evidencing lack of practice in longer version cricket. Had not been a brave partnership of Liton (71) and Mehedy Meraj (57) rescued Bangladesh innings they could be humiliated by following on. West Indies got 113 runs lead as Bangladesh was all out for 296. Rakheem got 5/74 and Gabriel took 3/70.

Wicket broke and started turning sharply.  Bangladesh bowlers exploiting the condition of wicket restricting West Indies second innings to 117 only. Taijul (4/36) and Naeem (3/34) were the main tormentors. West Indies gained 229 overall lead.
 
Bangladesh should have gone on and win the match scoring 230 runs on the known surface. But the batting was not planned at all. Flamboyant Tamim playing in T20 mode produced useless 50 in 46 deliveries. His flamboyance came of no use. Other than him Mominul (26) and Liton (22) tried to survive in testing condition. But Rakheem (4/105), Warrican (3/ 45) and Brathwaitte (3/25) proved that their spin attack was far more penetrative than Bangladesh. West Indies won by 17 runs eventually despite of heroics of Mehedy Miraj scoring 31. 

BANGLADESH ABSORBED DREADED WHITE WASH MAKING VALENTINE DAY SOUR FOR BANGLADESHIS.
 
There can be many reasons for the dismal performance of Bangladesh – lack of preparation for the test, wrong selection of playing XI in both test, ignoring experienced quality players, wrong reading of wickets. But these may not shadow the highhandedness of head coach and the coaching staff. Hope BCB would carry out proper post mortem of such abysmal performance.

After shocking defeat at Chattogram and injury to star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan many observers suggested for bringing back experienced inform player Mahmudullah Riad. BCB ignored. Instead Soumya Sarkar not proved ideal player for test cricket was added and let open the innings with Tamim. Saif Hasan originally selected as reserve opener was overlooked.  In Chattogram the absence of a second pace bowler was keenly felt. The squad contained as many as five pacers. Yet at Dhaka Mustafiz was replaced with Abu Jayed Rahi, who should have played in Chattogram also. After being humiliated by a White Wash, it will be interesting what BCB finds as excuse. 

We hope that BCB will carry out extensive soul searching. If Bangladesh has to turn around BCB must objectively assess what needs doing for revolutionizing longer version cricket format. If required Cricket Operation must be left to better competent persons and selectors must be given freedom. Players must be selected purely on merit without favoring anyone. Otherwise, Bangladesh would continue to remain at rock bottom of ICC Test Ranking. 

BDST: 1805 HRS, FEB 14, 2021
AP/SMS