Bangladesh’s tour of the West Indies got off to an impressive start with a strong showing in their warm-up game against the West Indies Select XI in Coolidge. Despite rain interruptions, the visitors made the most of the conditions, with young left-arm spinner Hasan Murad stealing the spotlight by taking a sensational hat-trick.
The match, initially delayed by a four-and-a-half-hour rain stoppage on the second day, saw Bangladesh declare their first innings at 253 for 7 after a solid batting performance on day one. The West Indies Select XI, in response, were reduced to 87 for 9 by Bangladesh’s bowlers, with Murad’s hat-trick being the key highlight of the day’s play.
Murad’s remarkable achievement came in the 28th over when he dismissed Daniel Beckford, Navin Bidaisee, and Chaim Holder in consecutive deliveries, helping to dismantle the West Indies middle order. Bangladesh’s head coach, Phil Simmons, immediately signaled the end of the game after the hat-trick, with the hosts struggling to build any significant partnerships.
On the opening day, Bangladesh’s top order made valuable contributions, led by Jaker Ali (48) and Mahidul Islam (41), both of whom retired to allow others to get some batting time. Litton Das, who had missed Bangladesh’s previous Test series against South Africa due to illness, made a steady 31 before also retiring. Mominul Haque, the most experienced player in the squad, contributed with a quickfire 31, while the opening pair of Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan struggled, both falling cheaply, leaving some concerns over Bangladesh’s top-order stability.
With the ball, Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud each claimed two wickets, while Shoriful Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz chipped in with one wicket each. Mahmud’s breakthrough on the first evening, when he dismissed West Indies Select XI captain Kraigg Brathwaite, could prove to be a significant confidence booster for the fast bowler ahead of the first Test against the West Indies, set to begin in Antigua on Friday.
For the West Indies Select XI, Kimani Melius top-scored with 23 runs, but the rest of the batting line-up failed to offer much resistance. Jair McAllister and Holder took two wickets each, but the West Indies’ batting frailties were laid bare, especially as Murad’s late burst wreaked havoc.
Despite the rain delays, Bangladesh can take plenty of positives from this warm-up match, with the performance of their bowlers, particularly Hasan Murad, standing out. As they prepare for the upcoming Test series, Bangladesh will be keen to address some top-order concerns but will also be encouraged by the form of key players like Litton Das and Mominul Haque.
The first Test between Bangladesh and the West Indies is set to start on Friday in Antigua, and the visitors will be hoping for more solid performances as they seek to build on their promising start to the tour.