BAN vs WI 1st Test Day 1 : Bangladesh take on West Indies in the first Test of their two-match series in Mirpur, aiming to keep their dream of securing a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final alive. West Indies, on the other hand, will look to spoil the party for Bangladesh and end their WTC campaign on a high. ( Live Scorecard )
Recent form could be a concern for the Najmul Hossain Shanto -led side, which failed to beat Afghanistan in a one-off Test earlier this month before going winless in the tri-series in Dubai.
BAN vs WI 1st Test Live Score
Contrasting fortunes in the WTC – Bangladesh sit 4th in the World Test Championship standings, having won 3 of their 6 matches in the current cycle. West Indies, meanwhile, find themselves 8th in the standings, with just two wins from 12 matches. Shanto has scored 916 runs at an average of 53.88 in his last 10 Tests, while Mushfiqur has amassed 902 at 56.38. Taijul Islam has been their leading wicket-taker in the current WTC cycle, with 24 wickets in 6 matches, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz has claimed 15 in 5 games. His absence is part of Cricket West Indies’ efforts to manage his workload ahead of the ODI World Cup qualifiers in February 2027. The only other West Indies batter to score more than 700 runs in this WTC cycle, Greaves averages 45.63 in his last 10 Tests and offers valuable balance with his all-round abilities. Roach brings plenty of experience, having crossed the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket earlier this year, while Seales and Shamar Joseph have been among the visitors’ leading wicket-takers in the current WTC cycle. Seales has claimed 35 wickets in 12 matches, while Joseph has the same number of scalps in just 7 games, highlighting his ability to make an impact in a short span. Form (Last 5 Tests, recent first) – BAN – DLWLW | WI – LWDWL. The visitors won 2-0 on their last trip to Bangladesh, while the most recent series between the two sides in the Caribbean ended 1-1.
Bangladesh brace for Windies challenge – International cricket is in full swing, with all three formats serving up action across the globe. They recently faced Afghanistan in a one-off Test outside the WTC cycle, with the contest ending in a draw. Their last Test outing came in August, and after spending the intervening period playing white-ball cricket, the visitors will need to make a quick adjustment to the demands of the longest format. Experience at the forefront – Bangladesh’s batting will revolve around their experienced core, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim expected to shoulder much of the responsibility. Litton, meanwhile, will be keen to carry forward his form from the one-off Test against Afghanistan, where he was named Player of the Match after scoring a half-century and a hundred. The opening combination of Shadman Islam and Tanzid Hasan will have an important role in seeing off the new ball and providing a solid foundation, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz offers valuable batting depth lower down the order. A varied bowling attack – Bangladesh’s bowling attack looks well equipped to exploit conditions in Mirpur, with a combination of pace, experience and spin at their disposal. Taskin Ahmed’s return is a major boost, as his ability to generate pace and movement gives the hosts a potent new-ball option. Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam provide further seam-bowling options. Nahid Rana, meanwhile, remains sidelined with a labrum tear, another setback for the fast bowler, who has struggled with injuries of late. The real point of difference could be the quality of Bangladesh’s spin attack. Nayeem Hasan provides another option if Bangladesh opt for a third specialist spinner. Life without Hope – West Indies will have to find a way to fill the void left by Shai Hope, who has been in fine form across formats and is their leading run-scorer in the current WTC cycle. Justin Greaves will be one of the key players expected to step up. John Campbell’s return from a hamstring injury strengthens the top order, while Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kavem Hodge, Brandon King and captain Roston Chase will be crucial to West Indies’ hopes of building substantial totals. Kevin Wickham is another name to watch after a prolific run in the domestic four-day competition. A half-century in the tour game has further strengthened his case for a potential Test debut, adding an exciting option to the visitors’ batting line-up. Pace and spin in focus – West Indies are without Alzarri Joseph, who has been withdrawn to manage his workload, but they still have a capable pace attack featuring Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales. However, conditions in Mirpur could place a considerable workload on the spinners. Vice-captain Jomel Warrican will be central to those plans with his left-arm spin, while skipper Roston Chase can contribute useful off-spin overs. Uncapped Joshua Bishop offers another option if the visitors choose to strengthen their spin attack. What to expect? The conditions in Mirpur could be an interesting subplot heading into the first Test. Spin is usually a big factor at the venue, but Bangladesh have recently prepared livelier surfaces where their pace attack has made the most of the conditions to blow away opposition batting line-ups. With West Indies also boasting a strong pace attack, the hosts will be wary of giving the visitors too much to work with. That could see Bangladesh lean towards a more spin-friendly surface, which plays to their own strengths as the match wears on. A new chapter awaits – History offers West Indies plenty of encouragement heading into this series, with Bangladesh having beaten them just once in a home Test series. Bangladesh will be keen to turn that record around on home soil, but West Indies have shown they can be a difficult opponent in these conditions. Who are you backing to prevail in Mirpur?
Adding to the mix, Bangladesh welcome West Indies for a two-match Test series, with the opening Test set to get underway at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur before the teams move to Sylhet for the second game. Their historic win in Australia earlier this year remains a major highlight and will give them plenty of confidence heading into this assignment.
