All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz struck his maiden ton, showing an unwavering resolve as Bangladesh put them on course of taking full command against West Indies in the first of two-match Test series at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Thursday.
Miraz hit a 103 off 168, smashing 13 boundaries that helped Bangladesh put up a handy 430 in the first innings before being all out.
Complementing Miraz’s feat, fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman marked his Test return after March 2019, with a double strike early that left West Indies in troublesome 75-2 at the end of day two game.
At stumps, stand-in captain Kraigg Brathwaite was batting on 49 with debutant Nkrumah Bonner on 17 as the side was trailing by 355 runs on a pitch that looked to be deteriorating.
Coming to bat at No. 8 position, Miraz put on three important partnerships to help Bangladesh establish full-control over the Caribbean on a slow pitch.
He shared 67-run with Shakib Al Hasan for the seventh wicket stand before adding further 45-run with Taijul Islam (18) for the eighth wicket and 67 with Nayeem Hasan (24) for the ninth wicket stand.
His partnership with Shakib was vital after Bangladesh resumed the day two on 242-5.
Bangladesh lost Liton Das early in the morning after he added just four runs to his overnight 34. The batsman perished to cut a delivery of Jomel Warrican, who troubled Bangladesh on day one but was largely ineffective on day two, specially due to Shakib and Miraz who handled the spinners with utmost confidence and steely resolve.
With 248-6, Bangladesh could have lost the ground easily but Shakib resisted and brought up his 25th fifty, nudging one off Warrican for a single.
He dealt with the West Indies disciplined spinners patiently and kept Bangladesh rolling on a slow pitch.
Shakib, playing his first test since September 2019 following a two-year ban — one year suspended — by the International Cricket Council in October 2019 for failing to report approaches from a bookmaker, scored 68 off 150 balls with five fours.
Off-spinner Rakheem Cornwall was finally rewarded for his consistency, baffling Shakib by the extra bounce.
Miraz so far played second fiddle to Shakib. However he unleashed powerful shots from his repertoire after the dismissal of Shakib and reached his fifty off 99 balls.
He then grew with more confidence, with ably support from Taijul and Nayeem and brought up the second fifty off 69 balls.
Soon after reaching his first ton, he holed out one to long on off Cornwall bowling to be dismissed as the last batsman.
Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican was the most successful bowler for West Indies with 4-133 while Cornwall returned figures of 2-114.
Fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman (2-18) then put West Indies in trouble, picking up two early wickets—both via lbw.
Mustafizur won a video review to claim the wicket of John Campbell for 3 in the fifth over before dismissing debutant Shayne Moseley (2) with a Yorker. Moselye reviewed the decision in vain.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite revived the innings, with the apt from another debutant Nkrumah Bonner.
Brathwaite was batting on 49 with Bonner on 17, after sharing a 51-run partnership for an undefeated third wicket stand.