Motivated Tigers eyeing clean sweep
After an impressive 64-run win over West Indies in the opening Test at Chattogram, the Tigers embark on a new mission as they will be eyeing for a clean sweep when they face visiting West Indies for the second Test scheduled to begin tomorrow (Friday) at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at Mirpur.
The match kicks off at 9.30 am, BSS reported.
Both teams so far have played fifteen Test matches against each other with the visitors leading the score line by 10-3. In the two matches played at Mirpur the Caribbean had a clear advantage, having emerged victorious on both the occasions.
The victory in the first Test was Bangladesh’s first Test win against the West Indies at home. Despite this, the hosts would be disappointed with their effort in the second innings as they could manage only 125 runs.
Bangladesh’s batting, however, remains a worry. Dependable batsman Mominul Haque struck 120 runs in the first innings but Mushfiqur Rahim didn’t have a good Test with the bat while Mahmudullah and Imrul Kayes struggled for their form. Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Mithun failed to apply themselves deftly on a spin-friendly wicket.
In the absence of opener Imrul Kayes, the uncapped opener Shadman Islam is expected to earn his maiden Test cap. It is expected that he would put up a decent opening stand with another opener Soumya Sarkar.
Ace all rounder Shakib Al Hasan will be their main weapon with both bat and ball. The all-rounder is their leading wicket-taker in Tests and will be expected to counter the visitors once again.
Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz formed a useful quartet in the first Test, taking all 20 West Indies wickets. Taijul was the pick of the bowlers in both innings, but it was his 6 for 33 in the decisive fourth innings that made the big difference.
Shakib was at his accurate best, teasing and dragging batsmen out of their crease or getting them to go back to full balls with his variations in flight.
Following wicket keeper Mushfiqur Rahim’s finger injury two days before the second Test, Bangladesh have enlisted Liton Das on stand-by, should Mushfiqur not be deemed match-ready.
On the other hand, The West Indies faced their third consecutive defeat in Tests and have not been in the best of forms in the longest format. However the visitors will take some confidence from their good record against Bangladesh.
Shimron Hetmyer and Shane Dowrich both struck 63 in the first innings of the first Test and the team need from them to play a similar knock in the second Test. Except these two, they will back Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell and Shai Hope to step up on this occasion. All of them failed to convert their starts in the last match and it will be essential that at least one of them plays a big knock in the match.
Among the bowlers, the likes of Devendra Bishoo and Jomel Warrican would be expected to cause the maximum damage.
While Bishoo claimed five wickets including a four-fer in the second innings of the first Test, Warrican was the pick of the bowlers in the first Test with six wickets.
In the absence of Gabriel, the team will need Kemar Roach to come out with his best and get some wickets upfront.
Probable squads:
Bangladesh – Shadman Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Mohammad Mithun, Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim (wicket keeper), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman.
West Indies – Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Sunil Ambris, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Shane Dowrich, Devendra Bishoo, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican and Shermon Lewis.
