Jaker’s 91 helped Bangladesh set a target of 287 before Taijul ran through West Indies with a five-for

Mohammad Isam03-Dec-2024Bangladesh posted their first Test win in the West Indies in 15 years when they beat the hosts by 101 runs in Jamaica. It was a remarkable comeback by the visitors after their big defeat in the first Test in Antigua, with the series finishing 1-1. It was cathartic for a side that lost their last five Tests so emphatically, as the likes of Taijul Islam, Jaker Ali and Nahid Rana scripted their third away win in 2024 – their most in a calendar year.

Seales, Sinclair fined for Code of Conduct breaches

Jayden Seales and Kevin Sinclair have been fined 25% and 15% of their match fees respectively, for ICC Code of Conduct breaches in Kingston. Seales also got one demerit point, which will remain on his record for 24 months.
Seales was guilty of making “aggressive gestures” towards the Bangladesh dressing room after picking up a wicket, while “ignored warnings from the on-field umpires and continued using aggressive language at the visiting players”, the ICC website said.
Both players admitted to their offences and accepted the sanctions.

Left-arm spinner Taijul took 5 for 50 in the fourth innings to help bowl out West Indies for 185. It was his 15th five-wicket haul, fourth abroad and a first in the Caribbean after 10 years. Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud and Rana took the other five wickets.Rana took his maiden Test five-wicket haul in the second innings, helping bowl West Indies out for 146.Bangladesh had made only 164 in their first innings, but their revival in the second innings was a notable one too. This was courtesy Jaker, who cracked five sixes and eight fours in a counter-attacking 91. Jaker scored 62 out of Bangladesh’s 75 runs in the morning session of the fourth day.Related

• Simmons praises Bangladesh's 'positive attitude' in bouncing back from first Test defeat

• Mehidy to lead Bangladesh in West Indies ODIs, Shakib continues to miss out

• Greaves, Jangoo called up for West Indies' ODIs against Bangladesh

West Indies will feel they gave away a great start in the Test match when Jayden Seales returned remarkable figures of 5 for 4 from 15.5 overs. A fired up Seales however leaked runs in the third innings as Bangladesh shifted the momentum in a feisty third afternoon.On the fourth morning, Jaker held Bangladesh’s key to grow their lead from 211. It didn’t start well for him, as Alzarri Joseph pinged him on the top of his helmet. The Bangladesh physio Bayezid Islam Khan took a bit of time to clear Jaker, with the BCB wary of his history of concussions.The situation compounded when Bangladesh lost back to back wickets.Jaker Ali posted his Test best score of 91•Athelstan Bellamy

Taijul edged a short ball on 14, after he and Jaker added 34 runs for the sixth wicket. Mominul Haque completed his second Test pair when he fell off his fourth ball. He looked visibly ill as he walked off, with Bangladesh’s tail now exposed.With his back to the wall, Jaker went after the West Indies attack. He hooked Kemar Roach over wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva for a boundary. Jaker then timed a pull shot off Alzarri for his first six, which took him to his third consecutive fifty in his first three Tests. He is only the second Bangladesh player with the feat after Zakir Hasan.Jaker got on a roll in the next two balls. He flayed at a short ball to get a four over the slips, and then followed it up with a hooked six. Jaker smashed Roach over wide long-on in the next over, but he fought back with two more wickets. Roach removed Mahmud and Taskin in consecutive overs.Jaker however had one more burst of boundaries in him. He smashed Shamar Joseph for two fours in an over, both pull shots, before launching Roach for his fourth six, straight down the ground. His fifth six was off Shamar, hoicked over midwicket, before falling to a catch in the deep later in the over.Kavem Hodge was the only West Indies batter to cross fifty in the match•Athelstan Bellamy

Taijul got to work as early as the fifth over when he had Mikyle Louis in a tangle. Attempting to drive the ball, Louis edged the ball on to his front foot, with Shahadat Hossain claiming a diving catch at forward short leg.Sensing the need to grab the momentum, Brathwaite went after the Bangladesh bowling. He had already picked up a boundary with a square-cut, but after the lunch break, he drove Mahmud through the covers. He launched Taijul over wide long-on for a six, but Keacy Carty couldn’t quite get the bowlers away at the other end.Taskin had Carty caught behind for 14, after a build-up of dot balls, before Taijul accounted for the big one of Brathwaite. He troubled the West Indies captain a few times, before getting one to turn and pop on the shoulder of Brathwaite’s bat. Mahmudul Hasan Joy ran to his right from slip, to complete a tumbling catch. Taijul then got one to pitch on a rough patch and spin back through Alick Athanaze’s huge gap between bat and pad. Athanaze, who went for an expansive drive, looked confused about his approach in his six-ball stay.All this time, Hodge kept his shape, looking sharp as he picked up regular boundaries. He slapped Rana and cut Taskin in consecutive overs. He struck Mehidy for two fours in an over, before going inside out against Taijul before tea.West Indies started the third session on a happy note. Hodge got to his fifty off the first ball after the interval, but he fell shortly afterwards too. Hodge played back to a Taijul delivery that kept very low, trapping him lbw. Keshav Maharaj and Shoaib Bashir have also got him out in similar fashion before.Taskin then cleaned up Justin Greaves with one that kept a little low too, but the batter didn’t make an effort to get low enough to meet the ball. Joshua Da Silva’s miserable series ended when Taijul had him lbw, again another West Indies batter falling lbw to a ball that they could have played off the front foot.When Mehidy brought around Mahmud for a second spell, he made an instant impact. He removed Alzarri and Roach to bring Bangladesh to the brink. Then came the big moment when Rana, who changed the momentum of the game with his first-innings five-for, removed Shamar with a yorker to seal the hard-fought win.

Captain Mitchell Santner is pleased with the depth in the squad for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-Jan-2025Between Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, and Will O’ Rourke, New Zealand’s mens’s side have their high-pace, high-bounce options covered. These are the kinds of bowlers that tend to find ways to trouble batters on any surface you roll out for them.But what if, in Pakistan and Dubai, through the course of the Champions Trophy, it is spin that makes the difference? We’ve seen how tournaments in Asia tend to play out. Through the course of a packed schedule, the squares wear substantially, and by the end you’re playing on tired decks, the average scores nosediving by the business end.New Zealand will play in Karachi in the tournament opener, have a game in Rawalpindi, and their final group match in Dubai. They’ve got to be ready for whatever comes, though they will also have the additional preparation of a short-and-sharp tri-series in Pakistan in the lead-up to the big event. So, they’ve packed their squad with players who offer serious versatility.The three main spin options in the side are captain Mitchell Santner, who has developed into an excellent bowler over the past decade, plus Michael Bracewell, and Glenn Phillips. There is also Rachin Ravindra, who bowled almost 66 overs through the course of the 2023 World Cup, in India. The headline news is that all four of these players can bat (with Ravindra and Phillips, that is very much their foremost skill). In fact, if the pitch shows signs of taking turn, they could all play in the same XI.”If there is a little bit of turn, we can have Bracewell bat at No. 7, and I can go at No. 8,” Santner said. “We have options, which is great for our squad. We’ve got raw pace, we’ve got the spin, and the allrounders as well.”Related

• CT 2025: Fit-again Sears, O'Rourke in NZ squad

• Champions Trophy 2025: Dubai to host all India matches, including the knockouts if India qualify

Although all four are fingerspinners (Ish Sodhi has not been picked), there are two left-armers and two offbreak bowlers. New Zealand fielded all four in the third ODI against Sri Lanka, on Saturday. Though they were beaten by 140 runs in that match, thanks largely to the top order having crashed to 21 for 5, their spinners had been excellent. Sri Lanka had been 155 for 1 after the 27th over, before New Zealand’s spinners imposed themselves on the match, and prompted something of a middle-overs collapse from Sri Lanka.Santner took two wickets through this period and Bracewell had also struck. Phillips had snuck in three cheap overs, conceding just 12 in this three overs. Santner compared his two offspin options.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“They’re both very good offspinners in their own right. They’re both different, I think. On a wicket like that, Bracewell can get a bit more bounce – a little more over the top. Even the three overs that GP bowled were good for us, and Glenn has worked a lot on his bowling, as we’ve seen, in the longer format.”New Zealand’s general strategy for global tournaments has been to stack their side with players who are capable of making vital contributions at some point through the course of the campaign, and they appear to be following this template again. All four of these spin bowlers are outstanding fielders – Phillips worthy of being recognised as one of the best in the world at the moment.There is also the sense that by packing their XI with all-round talents, they have players to call on, whatever the match situation they are posed with. Two finals appearances and a semi-final berth in the last three ODI World Cups suggest that versatility has worked for them.”We like to stick to the same team once we’ve picked it, but that’s conditions-dependent,” Santner said. “Karachi could play a lot different to Rawalpindi, which could play different to Dubai. With the short nature of the tournament, if you’re happy with your XI, you want them to perform for all three games. But we’re open to changes.”

For West Indies, Kemar Roach is unwell, while Joshua Da Silva has been dropped

Danyal Rasool16-Jan-2025

Big picture: Expect plenty of turn in Multan

The timing of this series does not exactly help raise its profile. It comes after the top two World Test Championship (WTC) berths have been decided at the tail-end of the cycle. West Indies are at the bottom of the standings, Pakistan only fractionally ahead of them. This series was originally due to be held in January 2024 and would have carried the potential to turn a side’s cycle around but T20Is against New Zealand replaced it. This time, in that larger competition, it is little more than a basement battle.At a remove from the WTC, though, there’s more intrigue. West Indies will be playing a Test in Pakistan after more than 18 years, although they have played Pakistan in the UAE in the meantime. This series will be a continuation of the PCB’s experiment, so successful against England last year, to turn the pitches in Pakistan into havens for spin bowling. It was in Multan, where both Tests against West Indies will be held, that this was first tried. Pakistan have made no secret they will look to replicate it there again, with heaters and a makeshift greenhouse making this look as much cutting-edge horticulture as pitch preparation.They have the squad, especially the bowlers, for such conditions, too. The express quicks have been left out, and Sajid Khan is back to partner Noman Ali, as is Abrar Ahmed, who had missed the last two Tests against England with illness. Shan Masood continues to lead the side. He will open the innings in a batting line-up that has also seen a tweak. Abdullah Shafique’s loss of form and Saim Ayub’s injury have pushed Masood up the order and also brought Muhammad Hurraira into the fold who is set to make his debut.Related

• Pakistan go spin-heavy for WI Tests, leave out Abbas and Naseem

• Andre Coley hopes WI batters back up good work of the bowlers

• Jangoo earns maiden WI Test call-up for Pakistan tour; Motie back

But the spin-experiment could meet more resistance from West Indies than it did from England. The latter attempted to subdue Pakistan with the same cavalier belligerence that has served them well on flatter tracks, ending up playing right into the hosts’ hands. West Indies are unlikely to do the same, and while they do not possess a star-studded batting line-up, they will show up with one that has experience in these conditions – as well as a spin attack that can potentially thrive in them.However, West Indies sit at the bottom of the WTC points table for a reason. Their results – both at home and away – haven’t been consistent enough. The exhilarating win over Australia in Brisbane feels like a long time ago. It was followed up by England clean-sweeping them away, a home series defeat against South Africa, and a drawn one against Bangladesh.They are aware things need to change, and have made a significant call already; vice-captain Joshua Da Silva has been dropped after a run of underwhelming performances with the bat. However, Brathwaite and his team will know their problems run deeper than that, and this series allows them, at the very least, the chance to move off the bottom.

Form guide

Pakistan: LLWWL (last five Tests, most recent first)

West Indies: LWLDLGudakesh Motie’s height gives him a whole array of options to work with•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Saud Shakeel and Gudakesh Motie

Batters proficient at negotiating spin-friendly conditions will become invaluable, and this is where Saud Shakeel comes in. In theory, Shakeel should thrive with the slow, low turn Multan will provide. But he has, somewhat counter-intuitively, suggested he enjoys playing on quicker wickets. And in Pakistan’s most recent Test in Multan against England, where spin was heavily favoured, Shakeel scored 35 runs across two innings. On the whole, though, he still averages over 50 in six innings on this ground, and if he can come close to matching that in what is likely to be a quick, low-scoring game, he could well be a point of difference with the bat.Few people should enjoy this series more than Gudakesh Motie. West Indies’ perceived greater spin ability than England makes the preparation of slow-turning tracks potentially riskier than it was against England, and it is the left-arm orthodox that Pakistan will be most wary of. Nine Tests in, Motie’s ceiling remains to be determined, but his height gives him a whole array of options to work with on surfaces conducive to his skill set. Motie has a better bowling average than Sajid and almost the same as that of Noman – Pakistan’s most potent threats in these conditions against England – even if 19 of his 28 wickets have come against Zimbabwe.

Team news: Roach unwell, Imlach to debut

Pakistan have named their XI, featuring three spinners, as well as uncapped Muhammad Hurraira.Pakistan (probable): 1 Shan Masood (capt), 2 Muhammad Hurraira, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Kamran Ghulam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Agha, 8 Noman Ali, 9 Sajid Khan, 10 Abrar Ahmed, 11 Khurram ShahzadKemar Roach is unwell, while Anderson Phillip is not likely to be picked either in what is set to be a spin-heavy West Indies side. In Roach’s absence, their seam attack will be led by Jayden Seales. Tevin Imlach, who made an unbeaten 57 against Pakistan Shaheens in the tour game, will make his international debut in Multan. Meanwhile, Da Silva has been dropped, with uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Amir Jangoo all but set to debut.West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Mikyle Louis, 3 Justin Greaves, 4 Tevin Imlach, 5 Alick Athanaze, 6 Kavem Hodge, 7 Amir Jangoo (wk), 8 Gudakesh Motie, 9 Kevin Sinclair, 10 Jomel Warrican, 11 Jayden SealesWest Indies last played a Test in Pakistan in 2006•AFP

Pitch and conditions

This is the question, isn’t it? Pakistan continue to rage against the elements, determined to suck the Multan surface dry in bitter cold by erecting a greenhouse on the square to heat the surface up. This has never been attempted here in January before, though Pakistan did succeed in bending the Rawalpindi surface against England to their will in October. If they’re successful once more, expect significant turn right from the outset, and for spin to operate almost across the Test without pause. The weather, meanwhile, is expected to be bitterly cold.

Stats and trivia

• Kraigg Brathwaite is 99 runs away from surpassing Richie Richardson’s Test tally, and 149 away from becoming the tenth West Indies batter to score 6000 Test runs.
• The last Test these two sides played in Multan, in November 2006, saw just 27 wickets fall across more than 439 overs and five days, with more than 1400 runs scored.

Quotes

“Home conditions are very important in Test cricket. We’ve adopted a certain style of play and pitch preparation, and we want to take the momentum of the England series forward.”
“We’ve adjusted well – similar conditions to Islamabad [where the warm-up game was held]. We have acclimatised and are looking forward to the Tests.”

“We just weren’t able to really get those partnerships. We needed to emulate what their top four batters did”

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-20251:31

Is Bavuma still the best bet to lead South Africa in ODIs?

Temba Bavuma expressed disappointment at his “soft dismissal” and at failing to set up a foundation for the middle order as South Africa went down by 50 runs against New Zealand in the second semi-final of the Champions Trophy in Lahore.Chasing a mammoth 363, South Africa got off to a good start, reaching 125 for 1 in the 23rd over. With Rassie van der Dussen and Bavuma having added 105 for the second wicket, South Africa could have harboured hopes of chasing the target down, but both batters fell in quick succession to disrupt their plans.”Ideally, you would’ve wanted the both of us to keep going – at least till the 30th over. We know how destructive our middle order can be when they’re coming in that last 20 overs,” Bavuma said at the post-match presentation. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to set that foundation for them. Little bit of a soft dismissal, at least from my side. I think that just left too much for our middle order.”Related

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Bavuma admitted 363 was always going to be a tough chase, and South Africa needed all of their batters to stand up and string partnerships. David Miller hammered an unbeaten 67-ball century but didn’t get much support from the others as South Africa were kept to 312 for 9.For New Zealand, both Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson smashed hundreds, and Bavuma felt either he or van der Dussen needed to match those efforts and stay right till the end.”Yeah, look, I do think it [target] was above par. I think as well as they bat, we felt that if [the target was] anything around 350 – not over 350 – we’d back ourselves to chase the score with the wicket hopefully getting better,” Bavuma said. “From a batting point of view, we just weren’t able to really get those partnerships. There were one or two partnerships there, but I think you probably needed either myself or Rassie van der Dussen to go on and emulate what their top four batters did.”But yeah, 360 was always going to be tough. It was always going to require someone to play well. We had David who did that, but we probably needed someone else as well.”Bavuma also heaped praise on the New Zealand batters. While Ravindra scored 108 and Williamson 102, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips contributed a quick 49 each to put the target beyond South Africa.David Miller hit a 67-ball hundred, but New Zealand had both Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson score centuries•AFP/Getty Images

“They really put us under pressure from the get-go, [with] the way they were able to pierce the off side, and I think even in the middle [overs], how they were able to just keep scoring boundaries,” Bavuma said. “Normally, we pride ourselves in our ability to take wickets – especially in that middle period – but we weren’t able to. Obviously, if you go into the death phase with wickets in hand, it always becomes difficult to contain them, especially on these type of wickets. So yeah, kudos to them.”Credit to their betters, Kane Williamson, Rachin, and even the guys who came in as well – Mitchell, as well as Phillips. They put us under pressure with the bat.”New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was also effusive in his praise for Williamson, who scored his century at more than a run a ball.”Yeah, he keeps doing it,” Santner said. “I think that partnership [with Ravindra] was massive for us. It looked like he might’ve been frustrated at times but he was able to keep going and get through little periods where South Africa had challenged us. I think they decided to flip the switch a little bit earlier and were able to kind of cash in, and then the boys to back that up and the finish to get us up to 360, where probably 320 may not have been enough.”New Zealand meet India in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday, in a replay of the title match from 25 years ago.