Daily Times

PROVIDENCE: Bangladesh have a chance to wrap up the three-match ODI series with a win in the second game at the Providence Stadium, just as West Indies will be looking to level it. The visitors’ first good day in nearly a month in the Caribbean has suddenly livened up the tour. Tamim Iqbal scored a century, Shakib Al Hasan came within three runs of a century, Mushfiqur Rahim struck his fastest innings in ODIs and Mashrafe Mortaza got his first four-wicket haul in nearly two years. It all managed to bring back a cricket team battered and bruised in the Test series. The format surely helped, as Bangladesh have been more consistent in ODIs than in Tests and T20Is.

Wednesday should also be an opportunity to rectify their bowling in the death overs, after they conceded a 59-run stand for the tenth wicket with tail-enders Alzarri Joseph and Devendra Bishoo making 29 runs each. They would also look into how they bat in the last 10 overs, given the slow gear change that nearly derailed their innings. Anamul Haque too has to contribute, given how Liton Das is breathing down his neck. The home side has more to worry about. Their bowling attack lacked the killer instinct that was omnipresent in the Test series, while their batsmen looked to be waiting only for boundary balls. Chris Gayle battled 60 balls for his 40, but he was perhaps the only one who looked to have read the pitch properly. Shimron Hetmyer who made a half-century, was guilty of a mix-up with Gayle. West Indies also have to take their catches properly, having given Shakib and Tamim a number of chances to regain composure.

In the spotlight: In his ODI comeback, Andre Russell was too short at the start and not full enough towards the end, feeding Mushfiqur Rahim in his hitting zone. Russell did slam a huge six but it wasn’t enough for West Indies who would expect a little more from this blockbuster allrounder. After almost two years, Mehidy Hasan Miraz has started to look like a confident bowler. His six-wicket haul in the second Test has boosted a career that looked to be going stagnant. He took just one wicket on Sunday, but Mehidy had better control against a volatile batting line-up.

Team news: Kieran Powell and Keemo Paul are waiting in the wings but unless West Indies decide to add an extra batsman, it is likely to be the same XI. Whether they stick with Anamul Haque or bring in Liton Das is perhaps the only question the Bangladesh team management has to ponder.

Squads:

West Indies (probable): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Jason Mohammed, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Jason Holder (capt), 7 Rovman Powell, 8 Andre Russell, 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Ashley Nurse, 11 Alzarri Joseph

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Sabbir Rahman, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.

Published in Daily Times, July 25^th 2018.