West Indies wins test series versus Bangladesh 2-0

West Indies completed a nervy 17-run win over Bangladesh on Sunday at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur Dhaka, to take the Test series 2-0.

It was the West Indies first series win since 2017 and their first in Asia since 2012.

Resuming on Sunday, the fourth day of the five-day Test, the West Indies had an overall lead of 154 and seven second-innings wickets standing.

However, on a tricky surface which aided Bangladesh’s spin quartet, the West Indies’ batsmen were able to increase that by only 75 as Taijul Islam scalped 4 for 36 and Nayeem Hasan had 3 for 34, to be dismissed for 117.

Nkrumah Bonner (38) and Joshua da Silva (20) were the only players to post double figures. This left Bangladesh to chase 231 for victory and level the series 1-1.

Opener Tamim Iqbal was in a rush, posting 50 from 46 balls. But he and his opening partner, Soumya Sarkar (13), were undone by Kraigg Brathwaite, who finished with 3 for 25.

After the loss of the openers, Rahkeem Cornwall and Jomel Warrican went to work on the Bangladeshi batsmen. Cornwall grabbed 4 for 105 and Warrican, 3 for 47, as Bangladesh ended on 213 all out.

The two engineered the collapse as the home side was 101 for 3.

West Indies took the iniative from the host on the first two days of the match, when they tallied 409 in their first innings. Da Silva (92), Bonner (90), Alzarri Joseph (82) and Kraigg Brathwaite (47), were the principal scorers. Abu Jayed had 4 for 98 and Taijul Islam, 4 for 108.

In reply, Bangladesh scored 296. Liton Das hit 71, Mehidy Miraz, 57, Mushtifur Rahim, 54 and Tamin Iqbal, 44. Bowling for the West Indies, Cornwall took 5 for 74, Shannon Gabriel, 3 for 70 and Alzarri Joseph, 2 for 60. Cornwall, who ended with match figures of 9 for 179, was named Player of the Match.

Meanwhille, Nkrumah Bonner collected the Player of the Series accolade.

Summarised scores: West Indies 409 and 117, Bangladesh, 296 and 213.

West Indies won the first Test by three wickets, chasing a huge 395-run target. The West Indies were without several of the first choice players who opted out of the tour, citing fears of the coronavirus.