Bangladesh's stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz attributed their five-wicket loss to the West Indies in the first match of a three-game series to ineffective bowling during the middle overs. The match, held at Warner Park in St. Kitts on Sunday, saw West Indies chase down Bangladesh's competitive total of 294-6 with relative ease.
Sherfane Rutherford and Shai Hope anchored the West Indies innings with a decisive 99-run partnership, turning the tide after Bangladesh had reduced the hosts to 94-3. Despite an excellent start by Bangladesh bowlers Nahidul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, the team struggled to maintain control.
“We bowled really well initially, but we lost momentum in the middle overs and couldn’t take wickets,” Miraz admitted post-match.
Hope, who scored 86 off 88 balls, and Rutherford, with a blistering maiden century of 113 off 80 deliveries, dismantled the Bangladeshi attack. Rutherford later found support in Justin Greaves, with the pair adding 95 runs in just 57 balls to edge the team closer to victory. Greaves finished the job, securing West Indies' first win against Bangladesh in 12 encounters.
While Bangladesh posted a solid total, questions lingered about their approach on a batting-friendly pitch. Tanzid Hasan Tamim scored a run-a-ball 60, while Miraz contributed 74 off 101 deliveries. Critics, however, pointed out that Miraz’s inability to rotate the strike effectively may have cost valuable runs.
Mahmudullah Riyad and Jaker Ali Anik added quick runs in the final overs to push the total near the 300-run mark, but the effort fell short against a confident West Indies batting lineup.
Miraz defended the total, saying, “294 is a good score on this pitch. Credit goes to their batters, especially Hope and Rutherford, for their exceptional partnership. It was a tough day for our bowlers, but we’ll work on improving for the next matches.”
West Indies captain Shai Hope expressed satisfaction with the team's performance and breaking the losing streak against Bangladesh. “It was great to see the team step up and turn things around after 11 losses. Rutherford’s knock was outstanding, and our pacers capitalized on the conditions,” Hope said.
Rutherford's consistency and power-hitting earned him high praise from his skipper, who emphasized the importance of batters taking responsibility in future matches.
With two games remaining in the series, Bangladesh will look to regroup and address the lapses that cost them the opener.
