BAN VS WI: 3 Reasons For Bangladesh’s Shocking Loss In 1st Test.

Hosts Bangladesh were given a reality check by West Indies as they lost the rain-interrupted first Test match in Mirpur, Dhaka by 8 wickets inside 4 days. The hosts did win the toss, but could not take full advantage of it after Day 1 as West Indies hung in there for the better part of the Test match and then delivered the knockout punch to win the contest by 8 wickets on Day 4. Bangladesh were found wanting in their batting against spin, and their spinners did not step up on Day 4, 4th innings. We will try to ascertain for you why Bangladesh suffered a setback in the WTC race.

Losing 7/59 from 213/3 to 272 all out changed the complexion of the match. 

Bangladesh won a good toss and opted to bat first. It was a good contest between bat and ball as Bangladesh did apply themselves out there with Shadman Islam leading the way with a gritty 3rd Test ton. Bangladesh were 213/3 in 74 overs at the close of Day 1 and were ahead of West Indies. Thereafter, on Day 2 things started to change. After Shadman fell for 105 at the score of 21, the wickets started to tumble like nine pins. The hosts lost wickets at regular intervals and by the time Lunch came, they were bowled out.

At 213/3 people expected Bangladesh to get 350-400 which would have been a very good score in Mirpur, but losing 7/59 on the second morning meant Bangladesh had to settle for 272 in the first innings. They fell to spin again as Jomel Warrican picked up 5 wickets in the first innings while Joshua Bishop got two wickets in the first innings on debut. So, 7 wickets fell to spin as Bangladesh fell in their own trap and doing. There was no resistance shown by the middle and lower order and that brought the visitors back in the game.

Bangladesh have to improve their batting as this is their home condition and they need to be better than that. This was a golden opportunity to put runs on the board and maybe go up the WTC table. But now with this mishap, their chances have diminished significantly. As far as the series goes, they have to improve by leaps and bounds to salvage and level the 2-match series 1-1. For that, they have to bat and bowl a lot better than what they dished out in Mirpur over the last 4 days.

Getting bowled out for 142 in the second innings to the spin duo of Roston Chase & Jomel Warrican hurt the hosts. 

Despite settling for 272 in the first innings, Bangladesh bowlers hung in there and bowled well to elicit a lower order collapse as they knocked off West Indies for 245 and gained a slender but significant 27 run lead after the first innings was completed. The onus was on the Bangladeshi batters to drive home the advantage and build a significant lead to bat West Indies out of the game if we may so say. But the batting faltered big time.

The Tigers came out to bat on Day 3 where the pitch was spinning, but at home we expected them to bat a lot better than what was on show. Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals from the start with even the centurion of the first innings falling cheaply. Shamar Joseph did pick the first wicket, but it was the spin duo of Jomel Warrican and Roston Chase that did the star turn for West Indies. Chase started it off by getting wickets at will as Bangladesh were reduced to 35/5 and then 53/6 before being 79/6 at the close of Day 3.

Thereafter on Day 4, they lost Jaker Ali to be reduced to 84/7 and then got lucky as Nayeem Hasan was dropped by Chase. Nayeem salvaged something for the hosts with a brilliant maiden half-century. That helped them get to 142 and set 170 for the win. But that was always going to be under par unless Bangladesh bowl well. Credit to Chase for his 5-wicket haul and Warrican’s 4 wickets to make it 9 wickets in the match. Bangladesh’s inability to play spin in their own conditions lay exposed and now they have an uphill task ahead of them.

Like we mentioned, they have an uphill task to go into the top 2 of WTC table. But for the series to be leveled, they need to bat a lot better than what they dished out in Mirpur. A similar batting performance against an upbeat West Indies side could mean disastrous in Sylhet.

Poor performance of Bangladesh spinners while defending 170 sealed the fate of the match. 

Bangladesh were defending 169 as West Indies’ target was 170 to win. But such scores have been defended before in Mirpur on these types of surfaces by the home team in the past. If not the win, we expected Bangladesh to put up a fight and make things interesting and push West Indies hard. But what followed next was completely unexpected and shocking as the spinners struggled in the fourth innings.

The Bangladesh captain introduced spin from the start in Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam. Yes, we can say they troubled the West Indies openers early on and from time to time as a lot of umpire’s calls went in favour of the batters. Bangladesh were unlucky one can say. But then once the West Indies openers settled in, the spinners had no answers. They couldn’t get the same purchase as the West Indies counterparts. They bowled loose lines and lengths and made it easy for the batters of West Indies. Once the 112-run stand was put up, the game became a formality as King was superb with his unbeaten 81.

West Indies spinners out bowled the Bangladesh spinners and that is something to be unheard of. But that was the reality. Bangladesh lost wickets to the pacers Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud. But the spinners in Mehidy, Taijul and even debutant Nayeem Hasan were wicketless. This surprised all of us and Bangladesh now needs to work on those skills and even bowl better when the game is on the line. An improvement is expected in all aspects of the game we can say. They have to salvage the series in Sylhet where the 2nd Test match will be held.

What Lies Ahead. 

So, West Indies lead the 2-match series 1-0 and will look to seal the series and complete the whitewash 2-0 when the teams meet in Sylhet for the 2nd Test match from 5th November, 2026 onwards. Can the hosts Bangladesh fight back to draw level in the series? Or will West Indies go on to boss the game and win the series 2-0? We shall wait till next week to find that answer out.

Also Read: BAN vs WI: Roston Chase & Co Thump Bangladesh