Dhaka – Bangladesh finished the first day of the 2nd and final game of the two-match Test series scoring 259 for five in the first innings against West Indies at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.While debutant opener Shadman Islam struck 76 for the hosts, Shakib Al Hasan smashed a fifty as well. Devendra Bishoo took two wickets for the visitors.
Bangladesh started the day to a positive note as the openers, Soumya Sarkar and Shadman Islam, added 42 on the board. The hosts lost the first wicket when Soumya misjudged a turning delivery of Roston Chase that managed to edge his bat and went to the lone slip fielder.
The left-handed opener displayed a lean performance in Chattogram Test and failed to grab the chance in Dhaka as well as he fell managing 11 this time.
Roston’s first success came as an indicator of what spinners can do in the typical Dhaka wicket. The Tigers lost four out of their five wickets to the spinners. The other wicket went to pacer Kemar Roach.
In the second wicket partnership, Bangladesh added 45 runs on the board. Shadman and Mominul Haque seemed to be on the cruise to take Bangladesh to a high score. But, Mominul, who struck four Test tons this year, threw his wicket just a delivery before the lunch. He lofted a delivery off Kemar Roach towards long-on and got dismissed on 29.
Despite Mominul’s dismal removal, Bangladesh had everything to be happy in the first session as they added 87 on the board losing two wickets.
But, at the start of the second session, Mohammad Mithun tumbled while facing a googly from Devendra Bishoo. He intended for a pull but missed the line and got bowled.
Shadman Islam, the newcomer southpaw, was steady at the other end. Before getting dismissed on 76, he faced 199 balls and thus he justified his inclusion to the Bangladesh Test armoury.
Shadman was the prey of Devendra Bishoo as well. The West Indian leg-spinner attacked Shadman round the wicket, and the batsman went to play down failing to anticipate non-turning delivery. Shadman’s maiden Test innings came to an end when his pad was hit by a ball which could have shattered his stumps as well.
Bangladesh lost the fifth and final wicket in the first day of Dhaka Test when Shermon Lewis put up the stumps of Mushfiqur Rahim. The linchpin of Bangladesh batting line missed the ball completely and got dismissed on 14. Along the way of scoring 14, Musfhiqur completed 4000 Test runs as the second Bangladeshi batsman after Tamim Iqbal who currently is out of action due to injuries.
Bangladesh finished the day with an unbeaten stand of 69 of Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah in the sixth wicket stand. While Shakib remained not out on 55, Mahmudulla struck 31*.
Bangladesh came into this match with two changes to the playing XI as they dropped Imrul Kayes and Mustafizur Rahman. While Imrul was ruled out for injury and 23-year-old opener Shadman Islam replaced him, Mustafizur is overlooked by the team management to make a way for Liton Das. The Tigers made history heading into this Test without a frontline seamer for the first time. To take the full advantage of the typical Dhaka wicket, they have gone for an all-spin attack. West Indies made one change keeping Shannon Gabriel out of the playing XI as he was suspended for his demerit points reaching to five. They have included right-arm seamer Shermon Lewis as the replacement for him.UNB
