‘Completely different wicket' yet familiar outcome
Bangladesh Test skipper Shakib Al Hasan struck the 28th fifty of his career but the Tigers were bundled out for a miserable first innings total on day one of the first Test against the West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua today.
Bangladesh were all out for 103 after 32.5 overs right after Lunch interval.
Mehedi Hasan Miraz, who missed the two Tests against Sri Lanka due to injury, was the first to depart after Lunch. The bowling-allrounder went out in similar fashion as Tamim Iqbal, caught behind after a failed attempt to flick a wide delivery on the leg side.
Jayden Seales bagged his second wicket and with Miraz gone, for two off 22, it meant that Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan, on 32 at the time of dismissal, had to figure out how to bat with the tail from then on.
Mustafizur Rahman came in at number nine and went out in no time. Seales pitched a fuller delivery wide outside the off stump and induced an edge off Mustafizur, who poked at the ball without any footwork.
The next over off Alzarri Joseph had Shakib slice and pull his way to striking three boundaries. And soon, the premier all-rounder reached the 28th fifty of his Test career with a Calypso style lofted drive over the mid off region.
Shakib's aggressive ploy did not work in his favour for that long as he departed right after reaching fifty. The left-hander was caught in the deep by Kemar Roach, who took a well-judged catch. Joseph bagged his second and soon bagged a third with the dismissal of Khaled Ahmed, caught in the slip cordon. Khaled was the sixth Bangladesh batter to depart without scoring while Ebadot remained unbeaten on three.
During the pre-match press conference yesterday, when Shakib was reminded of 2018's 43-run batting debacle in Antigua, the newly appointed captain of Bangladesh Test side predicted the wicket in Antigua this time would be conducive for batting.
"I think it's a completely different wicket. As you said, four years back it was a different wicket," said Shakib.
It will now be interesting to see how Shakib explains the latest batting collapse which saw the Tigers on 45 for six within 15 overs.