Batting first, Bangladesh finished the opening day at 213 for 3 after 74 overs in the first Test against West Indies. Opener Shadman Islam anchored the innings with an unbeaten 99 from 219 balls, supported by Mominul Haque and Tawhid Hridoy. On the other hand, West Indies spinner Jomel Warrican ended as their star bowler with two wickets.
Cautious beginnings and early breakthroughs followed by a strong alliance
The match began in overcast Dhaka, prompting West Indies captain Roston Chase to put the pressure on Bangladesh openers after losing the toss. Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph kept Tanzid Hasan and Shadman Islam on a tight leash. Eventually, the breakthrough came when Seales dismissed Tanzid for 7 with the score reading a modest 25. However, Shadman found a resolute partner in Mominul Haque, and the duo took Bangladesh to lunch without further damage.
Post-lunch, the pitch flattened out slightly, allowing Bangladesh to build a platform. Mominul looked comfortable in his knock of 28. He kept rotating the strike and punished the loose deliveries before falling to Jomel Warrican. Tawhid Hridoy walked in to play with positive intent alongside the immovable Shadman. He injected the much-needed momentum with a crisp 42 off 84 deliveries, stitching together a crucial partnership with Shadman. Warrican struck again late in the session, but Shadman remained in the middle like a pillar at the crease.
Shadman Islam helps Bangladesh take charge
As the light began to fade, West Indies turned heavily to their spinners and part-timers to squeeze the run rate. However, Shadman, displaying immense mental fortitude, batted through the entire session just one run shy of a well-deserved century. He moved to 99* off 219 balls decorated with 10 boundaries. Litton Das remained unbeaten on 10 at the other end and seemed to get the grip against Joshua Bishop and Roston Chase during the closing overs.
With 213/3 on board, Bangladesh hold the upper hand after a disciplined opening day. Warrican’s double-strike kept West Indies in the hunt despite a few missed opportunities to break partnerships earlier. All eyes tomorrow will be on Shadman as he resumes his innings needing just a single to reach triple figures. For the Caribbean side, the challenge will be to grab a couple of wickets as early as possible.
