Hot Posts

6/recent/ticker-posts

Jaker, Taijul, and Rana lead Bangladesh to their first Test win in the West Indies since 2009.

 


Jaker's 91 set Bangladesh a target of 287, while Taijul dominated the West Indies with a five-wicket haul.

Bangladesh secured their first Test victory in the West Indies in 15 years, defeating the hosts by 101 runs in Jamaica. This victory marked a remarkable turnaround for the visitors, who had suffered a heavy defeat in the first Test in Antigua, resulting in a 1-1 series draw. It was a much-needed win for a team that had endured five consecutive losses, with Taijul Islam, Jaker Ali, and Nahid Rana playing key roles in their third away win of 2024 – the most they have achieved in a single calendar year.

Left-arm spinner Taijul claimed 5 for 50 in the fourth innings, helping to dismiss the West Indies for 185. This was his 15th five-wicket haul, the fourth abroad, and his first in the Caribbean in a decade. Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Rana also contributed, taking the remaining five wickets.

Rana earned his maiden Test five-wicket haul in the second innings, bowling out the West Indies for just 146.

Bangladesh had posted only 164 in their first innings, but their recovery in the second innings was equally impressive. Jaker played a pivotal role, scoring 91 in a counter-attacking knock that included five sixes and eight fours. He contributed 62 of Bangladesh's 75 runs in the morning session on the fourth day.

West Indies will likely feel they let an early advantage slip away, as Jayden Seales put in a standout performance with figures of 5 for 4 from 15.5 overs. However, Seales, despite his fiery spell, gave away runs in the third innings as Bangladesh seized the momentum on a tense third afternoon.

On the fourth morning, Jaker became key to expanding Bangladesh's lead from 211. His innings didn’t begin smoothly, though, as Alzarri Joseph struck him on the helmet. Bangladesh physio Bayezid Islam Khan took some time to clear Jaker, with the BCB cautious due to his previous concussion history.

The situation worsened as Bangladesh lost consecutive wickets shortly after.

Taijul edged a short ball for 14, ending a partnership of 34 runs for the sixth wicket with Jaker. Mominul Haque completed a rare Test pair when he was dismissed off his fourth ball, visibly unwell as he walked off the field, leaving Bangladesh's tail exposed.

With the pressure mounting, Jaker countered by taking on the West Indies attack. He hooked Kemar Roach over the head of wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva for a boundary, then pulled Alzarri Joseph for his first six, bringing him to his third consecutive fifty in his first three Tests—a feat only matched by Zakir Hasan for Bangladesh.

Jaker Ali scored his Test best score of 91


Jaker continued his aggressive strokeplay in the following two balls. He slashed at a short delivery for a four over the slips, followed by a hooked six. He then hammered Roach over wide long-on for another six, but Roach quickly responded by taking the wickets of Mahmud and Taskin in successive overs.

Still undeterred, Jaker unleashed another barrage of boundaries. He struck Shamar Joseph for two fours in one over—both pull shots—before launching Roach for his fourth six straight down the ground. He then hoisted Shamar for his fifth six over midwicket, before finally falling to a catch in the deep later in the over.

Taijul was quick to make an impact, getting to work as early as the fifth over when he had Mikyle Louis in a tangle. Louis attempted a drive but ended up edging the ball onto his front foot, with Shahadat Hossain diving to take a catch at forward short leg.

Brathwaite, sensing the need to seize control, took the attack to the Bangladesh bowlers. He had already struck a boundary with a square cut, and after the lunch break, he drove Mahmud beautifully through the covers. He then launched Taijul over wide long-on for a six, but Keacy Carty struggled to get going at the other end.

Taskin made the breakthrough, getting Carty caught behind for 14 after a sequence of dot balls, and Taijul soon claimed the scalp of Brathwaite. The West Indies captain was troubled a few times before Taijul got one to turn and catch the shoulder of Brathwaite's bat, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy tumbling to his right from slip to complete the catch. Taijul then got one to pitch on a rough patch, spinning back through Alick Athanaze’s large gap between bat and pad. Athanaze, attempting a loose drive, looked uncertain in his brief six-ball stay.

Meanwhile, Hodge maintained his composure, playing a sharp knock with regular boundaries. He slashed Rana and cut Taskin in consecutive overs, and then struck Mehidy for two fours in one over before lofting Taijul over the covers before tea.

West Indies had a positive start to the third session, with Hodge reaching his fifty off the first ball after the break, but he fell soon after. Hodge played back to a Taijul delivery that kept very low, trapping him lbw, a dismissal he had previously faced against Keshav Maharaj and Shoaib Bashir.

Taskin then dismissed Justin Greaves, with a delivery that also kept a little low, but the batter failed to adjust his stance. Joshua Da Silva’s miserable series ended when Taijul had him lbw, another West Indies batter falling victim to a delivery that could have been played off the front foot.

When Mehidy returned for a second spell, he made an immediate impact, dismissing Alzarri and Roach to bring Bangladesh close to victory. The final moment came when Rana, who had already played a crucial role with a five-wicket haul in the first innings, sealed the win by dismissing Shamar with a yorker, completing a hard-earned victory for Bangladesh.


Post a Comment

0 Comments