West Indies secured an impressive eight wicket victory over Bangladesh in the opening Test at Mirpur, taking a 1 to 0 lead in the two match series. Brandon King delivered an outstanding unbeaten 81, while captain Roston Chase claimed five crucial wickets to help the visitors overcome challenging conditions.
Chasing 170 for victory, the Caribbean side displayed confidence despite interruptions caused by rain, lightning and fading daylight. King formed a valuable 112 run opening partnership with John Campbell, placing Bangladesh under immediate pressure.
King struck ten boundaries and one six during his 115 ball innings, registering his fifth Test half century. Campbell contributed 49 before Shoriful Islam dismissed him. Hasan Mahmud subsequently removed Tagenarine Chanderpaul for just one run.
However, Bangladesh struggled to regain control as Kavem Hodge joined King and contributed an unbeaten 31. Their uninterrupted 50 run partnership comfortably completed the pursuit, with King striking the winning boundary.
Earlier, Bangladesh resumed their second innings at 79 for 6, facing a difficult task against disciplined Caribbean bowling. Nayeem Hasan provided resistance with his maiden Test fifty, offering the hosts some hope of setting a competitive target.
Chase produced excellent figures of 5 for 36, surpassing the milestone of 100 Test wickets. Fellow spinner Jomel Warrican collected 4 for 63, maintaining relentless pressure throughout the innings.
Warrican also played a significant role in Bangladesh’s first innings, where he captured five wickets. His consistent performances across both innings earned him the Player of the Match award.
Although Bangladesh created several opportunities, missed catches and inconsistent bowling prevented a comeback. West Indies capitalised on those mistakes with determined batting and effective spin bowling.
The convincing result gives the Caribbean visitors valuable momentum heading into the second Test, while Bangladesh must improve their execution to level the series.
