King’s Unbeaten 81 Gives West Indies Eight-Wicket Win Over Bangladesh

West Indies beat Bangladesh by eight wickets in the first Test in Mirpur on Saturday and now lead the two-match series 1-0. The win came on day four. Brandon King was the hero with a career-best 81 not out.

Bangladesh were all out for 142 in their second innings, which left West Indies needing 170. King made 81 off 115 balls with 10 fours and a six, and the visitors got there in 35.1 overs.

Two spinners did most of the damage with the ball. Jomel Warrican took 4-63 in the second innings after taking five wickets in the first, and he was named player of the match. Captain Roston Chase took 5-36, the fifth time he has taken five wickets in a Test innings.

Bangladesh started the day on 79-6, 106 runs ahead, and needed a good start. They did not get it. Jaker Ali edged Warrican to slip and Chase took the catch. Jaker made 22 off 34 balls, which made him the second-highest scorer in the innings.

Nayeem Hasan kept Bangladesh alive for a while. Chase’s bowling had him dropped twice, on 21 and 29. Taijul Islam added eight in a 17-run stand with him before Chase got Taijul out, and Bangladesh were 127-9. Nayeem then scored his first Test fifty, reaching it off 87 balls. Soon after, he tried to hit Chase over long-on and was caught by Joshua Bishop. He made 52 off 91 balls. Shoriful Islam finished not out on seven.

In the chase, King and John Campbell attacked from the first over and took West Indies to 64 without loss in 14.1 overs. Then rain stopped play. After about an hour, they added 23 more runs before bad light and lightning caused another 45-minute break.

King was dropped on 70 by substitute fielder Ebadot Hossain off Taijul, and Bangladesh paid for it as he stayed to the end. Campbell missed a fifty by one run. Shoriful bowled him for 49 off 55 balls, with six fours and a six.

The second Test starts in Sylhet on November 5.

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