Bangladesh have their backs against the wall as West Indies search for rare Test series win

Waseem Ahmed 17:09 11/07/2018
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  • The visitors were abysmal in the first Test at Antigua.

    West Indies will look to seal a series win when they take on Bangladesh in the second and final Test at Kingston on Thursday.

    The hosts completed a thumping victory by an innings and 219 runs in the first Test at North Sound to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

    For Bangladesh, the ignominy of being bowled out for 43 runs in the first innings at North Sound – their lowest Test total in history – will still be fresh in the mind when they take to the field on Thursday. Shakib Al Hasan’s men were slightly better in the second innings but even then, they could only muster 144 runs.

    The visitors will be looking for their senior players in Shakib, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah to give a much better account of themselves with the bat after the four could only garner 51 runs between themselves in the two innings at North Stand.

    The hosts will be banking on their in-form pace attack once again with Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach, Miguel Cummins and skipper Jason Holder forging a lethal battery in recent times. Gabriel, in particular, has been in outstanding form with three five-wicket hauls in as many Tests.

    West Indies' pacers have been on song in the series.

    West Indies’ pacers have been on song in the series.

    They will be without the services of Roach for the clash with the pacer being given a rest after straining his hamstring in the first Test. He will be replaced by Alzarri Joseph in the line-up.

    The Windies are currently ranked in ninth in the ICC Test table, one place behind Bangladesh in eighth. Holder’s men will leapfrog the subcontinent side in the table if they secure a series win.

    Since 2014 when they beat the same opposition by 2-0 at home, the Caribbean outfit have only won one Test series – against Zimbabwe – in the 12 they have participated in. Despite their record, the hosts have shown they are clearly on an upward march and will look to seal a rare series win.

    LIKELY XIs

    West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite, Devon Smith, Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich (wk), Jason Holder (c), Devendra Bishoo, Alzarri Joseph, Miguel Cummins, Shannon Gabriel.

    Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Monimul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mahmudullah, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mehidy Hasan, Kamrul Islam, Abu Jayed, Shafiful Islam.

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