Bangladesh host West Indies in first Test at Mirpur today
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Bangladesh face West Indies in the first Test at Mirpur from October 28.
- Taskin Ahmed returns to the side, but Mushfiqur Rahim is a fitness doubt.
- The pitch choice is the big question, as spin has often hurt Bangladesh here.
Bangladesh host West Indies in the first Test at Mirpur today. The match starts on Wednesday, October 28, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. It is the first of two Tests between the sides.
The series is part of the World Test Championship. That is the long contest that ranks Test teams across the world. The top teams reach a final at the end of the cycle.
Bangladesh want a strong start at home. West Indies want to keep their good run going. This article explains the key facts in plain words.
What happened before the Test
Bangladesh had a rough build-up to this series. They lost two games in a tri-series in the UAE. The losses came against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.
They also failed to win a one-off Test against Afghanistan. A one-off Test means a single Test match, not a series. The poor run cost batting coach Mohammad Ashraful his job.
West Indies come in with more calm. Their red-ball players trained at a camp in Chennai. Red-ball cricket means Test cricket, which uses a red ball.
Their white-ball players played a T20I series in India. T20I is a short form of cricket, with 20 overs per side. Batting consultant Floyd Reifer rated the Chennai camp "10 out of 10".
West Indies have not lost a Test series in 2026. That run gives them belief on this tour. Bangladesh have won only one Test series against West Indies, in 2018.
The two teams have played 22 Tests against each other. West Indies won 15 of them. Bangladesh won five, and two games ended in draws.
The teams
Najmul Hossain Shanto captains Bangladesh. Mehidy Hasan Miraz is his deputy. The squad has 15 players for this first Test.
Taskin Ahmed returns to the Test side. He was rested for the one-off Test against Afghanistan. He replaces fellow fast bowler Khaled Ahmed in the squad.
Litton Das also returns to the squad. He missed the UAE tri-series with a hip injury. His fitness is still a question for the first Test.
Fast bowler Nahid Rana misses out. He is in Australia for checks on a long-term injury. Opener Soumya Sarkar is also out of the squad.
Roston Chase captains West Indies. Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, and Shamar Joseph lead the pace attack. Pace bowlers are fast bowlers, and they attack with speed and bounce.
Jomel Warrican leads the spin attack for the visitors. Spin bowlers turn the ball off the pitch. Joshua Da Silva keeps wicket in place of Shai Hope.
The Mushfiqur doubt
Mushfiqur Rahim is the biggest doubt for Bangladesh. He was hit on the hand in the nets on Tuesday, October 27. The nets are practice sessions before a match.
He got ice treatment at the ground. Then he left the session early. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has not given a formal medical update.
So his place in the team is unclear. That matters, because he is a key batter. He is also close to a personal landmark.
Mushfiqur needs 118 more runs to reach 1,000 runs against West Indies. That figure comes from Sporting News. He is the first Bangladesh player to play 100 Tests.
His duel with Kemar Roach is one to watch. Roach has dismissed him only three times since 2009. That is a long rivalry with few wins for the bowler.
The spin dilemma
The pitch is the biggest talking point in Mirpur. A pitch is the strip of ground where the game is played. Its nature decides how the ball moves.
Bangladesh are known for spin-friendly pitches at home. But recent results warn against that plan. The Daily Star laid out the numbers on October 28.
Bangladesh have played nine Tests in Mirpur in the past five years. Six of those came against top teams. They won only one of the six, against Pakistan this year.
Spin has often been a double-edged sword here. A double-edged sword is a plan that can help or hurt you.
In the past five years, visiting spinners took 80 wickets against Bangladesh at Mirpur. Visiting fast bowlers took 73 wickets in the same period.
In 2023, New Zealand's spinners took 17 wickets in the Mirpur Test. Bangladesh lost that game. The spin-heavy plan backfired badly.
West Indies captain Roston Chase spoke about the pitch on Tuesday. He said the ground staff may cut some grass from the wicket. He added that the surface still looks dry underneath.
Bangladesh captain Shanto backed his fast bowlers instead. He said the quicks are clear about the conditions. He added that he can pick them for any match.
So the choice is simple to state and hard to make. Trust the fast bowlers, or trust spin at home. The wrong call could decide the Test.
Why this Test matters
This Test matters for the World Test Championship race. Bangladesh still hope to reach the final. A home win would push them up the table.
West Indies want to end their cycle on a high. A win away from home would be a strong finish. It would also extend their unbeaten run in Test series this year.
The first Test also sets the tone for the series. A team that wins the opener gains confidence. The losing team must fight back in the second Test.
Rain may also play a part. Rain is forecast during the first three days, according to ESPNcricinfo. Lost time can turn a game toward a draw.
What happens next
The first Test runs from October 28 to November 1. A Test match can last up to five days. Each day has three sessions of play.
The second Test starts on November 5 in Sylhet. Sylhet is a city in north-east Bangladesh. The teams move there after the Mirpur game.
Watch three things in Mirpur. First, the team news at the toss.
The toss is the coin flip that decides who bats first. It will show if Mushfiqur plays.
Second, the pitch on day one. If it turns early, spin will rule. If it stays firm, the fast bowlers will enjoy it.
Third, the Roach versus Mushfiqur battle. If Mushfiqur plays, that duel could shape the game. It pits experience against a bowler who rarely beats him.
Bangladesh need a calm start after a messy month. Their one-off Test against Afghanistan showed how fast a game can slip away. West Indies arrive with form and a plan from their Chennai camp.
The team that reads the Mirpur pitch best should win this Test. That is why fans are searching for this match today. The first ball will give the first answers.
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