Bangladesh look to seal ODI series as both sides battle for consistency – T20 IPL 2024

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A bit of competitiveness has finally arrived in the West Indies-Bangladesh series after the visitors registered their first win on tour in the first ODI. Many could have predicted that it would be the ODIs where the visitors would excel, after the ruinous Tests and T20Is of the last four weeks. Tamim Iqbal turned things around for Bangladesh and they will now look to close out the series. West Indies, however, will make sure that isn’t easy.

The home side will be concerned about how they batted in the first half of their innings in the last game. They played out 88 dot balls in their first 20 overs, which later resulted in them losing a cluster of wickets. West Indies were down and out at 110 for 9 when No 10 and 11, Anderson Phillip and Jayden Seales, added an unbroken 39 runs for the tenth wicket.

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It was the highest partnership of the innings, which spoke volumes of how Bangladesh kept West Indies under control. But their top-order has to take responsibility to turn things around, and not just wait for fours and sixes. Rather than playing out so many dot balls and going through huge gaps without boundaries, West Indies might be better served focusing on rotating the strike. It often unsettles a bowler’s rhythm more than the odd boundary in an over.

The home side will also want a better showing from their bowlers with the new ball. Akeal Hosein will probably open again, but Seales, Phillip and Romario Shepherd have to find ways to get wickets. Newcomer Gudakesh Motie was steady, but captain Nicholas Pooran knows that defending a big total will need a wholesome bowling effort.

Bangladesh’s bowlers have stood out throughout this West Indies tour. Shoriful Islam led the way with the wickets in the first ODI but Mustafizur Rahman’s early breakthrough, removing Shai Hope who averages 90-plus against Bangladesh, and the tight spells from Taskin Ahmed worked perfectly for the visitors. Mehidy Hasan Miraz is one of the higher ranked offspinners in ODIs these days, while Nasum Ahmed, on debut, seemed to be at home in the format already.

But it hasn’t been a great tour for the batters. Tamim started well with a quickfire 30-odd, but running himself out was a strange way to get out when fully settled. Najmul Hossain Shanto, who the team felt deserved to be the first choice in the absence of other senior batters, also got out in the thirties.

Mahmudullah eventually took them to the six-wicket win, but he also looked iffy at times. He got out to Pooran but the part-timer had bowled a no-ball. He wasn’t at ease against Pooran too, playing far too cautiously. The pitch may have played a part but Nurul Hasan at the other end looked more comfortable.

Bangladesh will also be concerned about their catching. Even when they were on top, with West Indies on 96 for seven, they dropped four relatively easy catches.

Both teams have several areas to work on. It gives the ODI series a different texture to other more big-scoring events currently taking place around the world. West Indies have to cash in on Bangladesh’s cavalier mistakes and lapses of concentrations, while the visitors must bowl tightly enough to cover all their batting and fielding problems.

Form guide

West Indies: LLLLW (Last five completed matches; most recent first)

Bangladesh: WWLWL

In the spotlight

How Bangladesh play spin is worth keeping an eye on, but it will be more interesting to see how the West Indies manage to bowl around Akeal Hosein during the second game. Hosein has been among the top three wicket-takers in ODIs since his debut last year. As with most left-arm spinners, his accuracy and subtle use of spin has stood out. West Indies must use him at the right time to ensure Bangladesh, who are usually quite adept at playing left-arm spin, have to tackle Hosein under pressure.

Shoriful Islam wasn’t adjudged the player-of-the-match despite making a big impact on Bangladesh’s win with his career-best 4-34 in the first game. He took his wickets in two double-wicket overs, and bowled generally quite economically. Shoriful has been the selectors’ go-to bowler in all formats, which is already having an impact on his fitness. After returning from a finger injury, he has played in the three formats here, so it will be interesting how the team management utilizes him in the remaining matches.

Team News

West Indies will likely give the same side a go so that the batters find a bit of time to get back among the runs. They are also likely to keep the spin-based bowling attack.

West Indies (probable): 1 Kyle Mayers, 2 Shai Hope, 3 Shamarh Brooks, 4 Brandon King, 5 Nicholas Pooran (capt & wk), 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Gudakesh Motie, 10 Anderson Phillip, 11 Jayden Seales

Bangladesh too are most likely to keep their winning XI intact, barring any last-minute injuries.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Liton Das, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Afif Hossain, 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Taskin Ahmed, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions

Batting wasn’t easy during the first ODI. Bangladesh’s fast bowlers shared five wickets while West Indies used spinners for almost 80 per cent of their overs. The weather forecast remains rainy.

Stats and Trivia

Bangladesh’s four dropped catches in the first game took their tally to 14 for the year in ODIs.

The 39-run partnership between Anderson Phillip and Jayden Seales is the third time that a tenth-wicket stand was the highest partnership in an innings against Bangladesh.

Tamim Iqbal became the first from Bangladesh to hit 100 sixes in ODIs.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84

Source: ESPN Crickinfo