West Indies secured a dominant 201-run victory over Bangladesh in the first Test at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, their first Test win on home soil in over two-and-a-half years. The visitors’ pursuit of 334 in their second innings was brought to a close on the fifth morning, with Alzarri Joseph’s twin strikes sealing the win and sending the West Indies fans into raptures.
The game concluded in dramatic fashion, as Bangladesh’s No. 11, Shoriful Islam, was struck on the shoulder by a Joseph bouncer. Shoriful, unable to continue, was forced to retire hurt, and with him, the match ended with Bangladesh’s second innings at 132 for 9. Joseph had earlier dismissed Hasan Mahmud for a duck, caught behind to a delivery that seamed away, and then took the final wicket, trapping Jaker Ali lbw for 31.
The tailenders faced an onslaught from Joseph and the West Indies bowlers, who peppered them with short balls in a bid to hasten the game’s conclusion. The Bangladesh fielders were also subjected to constant verbal sledging as the hosts closed in on the win.
Though the result seemed inevitable, Bangladesh’s collapse on the fifth morning was also a continuation of the struggles their top order faced throughout the Test. The chase began poorly for the visitors on the fourth afternoon when they lost two early wickets, with Zakir Hasan and Mahmudul Hasan Joy both dismissed cheaply. Zakir was bowled by Kemar Roach off the inside edge, while Mahmudul chased a wide delivery and edged it to the slip cordon.
Earlier, the West Indies had set up the victory with a commanding performance in both innings. Their first-innings total of 450 for 9 declared was built on valuable contributions from Justin Greaves, who scored a patient 115*, and a career-best 47 from Kemar Roach, who combined with Greaves for a crucial 140-run partnership for the eighth wicket. The West Indies had started the second day at 261 for 7, but this partnership pushed them past the 400-run mark, frustrating the Bangladesh bowlers.
In reply, Bangladesh showed resilience, but lacked the partnerships required to mount a serious challenge. Jaker Ali (53) and Mominul Haque (52) made half-centuries, but neither could convert their starts into big scores. Bangladesh’s tail wagged briefly, but with the match slipping away, they declared their first innings at 269 for 9, 181 runs behind West Indies.
The West Indies bowlers, led by Kemar Roach (3-20) and Jayden Seales (3-45), were relentless as they bowled Bangladesh out for just 152 in their second innings. Despite a battling 45 from captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the tail was quickly cleaned up, with Seales picking up key wickets including that of Mehidy, caught behind off an excellent catch from Joshua Da Silva.
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In contrast, it was the West Indies batting that truly set the tone for the Test. After Bangladesh declared behind in their first innings, the hosts declared at 450 for 9, with a crucial partnership between Greaves and Roach leading the way. Bangladesh’s bowlers fought back in the second innings, particularly Taskin Ahmed, who recorded career-best figures of 6 for 64, but the chase was too steep, and the West Indies’ bowlers took control on the final day.
The West Indies victory also marked an end to a difficult home Test period, with the team now looking forward to the second Test. This win was crucial for their morale, while Bangladesh will need to address their ongoing struggles with the bat ahead of the next match.