Towhid Hridoy and Mushfiqur Rahim batted through the final day as Bangladesh reached 184 for 4 chasing 369, and the second Test in Sylhet ended in a draw. West Indies took the series 1-0 after their eight-wicket win in Mirpur.
Sylhet, Bangladesh: West Indies arrived in Sylhet already a Test up and left with the series. They declared on the final morning, asked Bangladesh to score 369 in a day, and then watched two batters refuse to give anything away.
A quick declaration
West Indies resumed on 345 for 3, with Kavem Hodge unbeaten on 140. He added two before being caught at fine leg by Hasan Mahmud off Nayeem Hasan. Justin Greaves fell lbw to Mehidy Hasan Miraz for nine, Shamar Joseph was caught at long-off off Nayeem for one, and West Indies declared on 398 for 6 after 93 overs. Bangladesh, who had made 386 in the first innings, needed 369 with a full day to get them.
Early wickets, then a wall
The chase began with spin at both ends, and a wicket fell in the second over. Tanzid Hasan swung at Jomel Warrican and was caught at midwicket by Joshua Da Silva for 21 off 32 balls. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto followed for 14, and Bangladesh were 49 for 2 when the afternoon session began.
Then the match changed shape. Towhid Hridoy, who made a record unbeaten 242 in the first innings, and Mushfiqur Rahim batted through 34 overs in that session and carried Bangladesh to 162 for 2 at tea, with Hridoy on 80 and Mushfiqur on 40. Along the way Mushfiqur became the first Bangladeshi to reach 7,000 Test runs.
Resistance ends short of the target
Hridoy departed for 82, off 140 balls, and Mushfiqur for 49, off 123, but the target was never within reach and West Indies had no time left to finish the job. Bangladesh were 184 for 4 after 59 overs, with Litton Das on seven and Miraz on one, when the match ended as a draw.
The draw sealed the two-match series for West Indies, who had won the opener at Mirpur by eight wickets. Chase’s five-for and King’s unbeaten 81 decided that game, and Sylhet only confirmed it. For Bangladesh, the consolations were Hridoy’s record innings, Mushfiqur’s milestone and a final day that showed how hard they are to bowl out at home.
How the Test unfolded
Day 1: West Indies chose to bat and lost three wickets inside nine overs, with Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud taking them. Amir Jangoo’s unbeaten 111 rebuilt the innings, and bad light ended play with West Indies on 235 for 4 after 70 overs. Jangoo shared a stand of 131 with debutant Kevin Wickham, who made 61.
Day 2: Hasan Mahmud took 6 for 90, his first five-wicket haul in a home Test, bowling Jangoo for 133 with the first over of the new ball and having Roston Chase caught behind next ball. West Indies were all out for 356. Bangladesh closed on 88 for 3, 268 behind, and opener Shadman Islam hurt his ankle in the field.
Day 3: Bangladesh were 184 for 7 when Hridoy took over. His unbeaten 242 off 359 balls, with stands of 117 with Taijul Islam and 85 with Taskin Ahmed, passed Mushfiqur’s 219 as the highest Test score by a Bangladeshi and gave Bangladesh a first-innings total of 386 and a 30-run lead. Warrican finished with 4 for 104. West Indies ended the day on 7 without loss.
Day 4: Brandon King and Joshua Da Silva put on 85 for the first wicket, and Hodge and Wickham took the game away. Hodge finished on 140 not out, his third Test hundred, and Wickham made 78 on debut, taking West Indies to 345 for 3, a lead of 315, before bad light stopped play.
Result: Second Test, Sylhet. Match drawn.
West Indies: 356 (Jangoo 133, Wickham 61, Greaves 51; Hasan Mahmud 6/90) and 398 for 6 declared (Hodge 142, King 61, Wickham 78).
Bangladesh: 386 (Hridoy 242 not out; Warrican 4/104) and 184 for 4 in 59 overs (Hridoy 82, Mushfiqur 49, Tanzid 21, Shanto 14).
Series: West Indies won 1-0.
