West Indies look to surmount spin challenge (Preview)

Mushfiqur Rahim couldn’t have asked for a better captaincy debut. The wicketkeeper batsman led from the front to start his Twentt-20 captaincy career with a terrific win. On a sluggish Mirpur pitch, Rahim cracked an unbeaten 26-ball 41 helping his side chase down 133 after suffering a middle order collapse.

Rahim will be keen to have same beginning to his ODI captaincy. Having a confidence boosting win under their belt, the home team will be egged up to put up another decent show against West Indies. With first ODI of three match series to be played on same venue, Bangladesh should believe they stand a strong chance to overpower their opponents.

The history could haunt Rahim’s team, though. Last time, the two side met in an ODI was in a world cup fixture and that proved to be very humiliating affair for the hosts. The West Indies bundled them only for 58 and completed chase in a blink.

For the Caribbean side, that victory could be a tonic to get back to the winning ways. Darren Sammy led side continues to be without their experienced batting trio-Chris Gayle, Shiv Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan-and al-rounder Dwayne Bravo due to various different reasons. This leaves the side bereft of experience, class and flexibility, but, at the same time, gives youngsters a great opportunity to excel in the alien conditions.

West Indies would be buoyed by Marlon Samuels batting form on the tour thus far. The all-rounder looked good in tour games and solitary T-20 international. He has also been cleared to bowl his off-spinners which may come handy for the side on the spin friendly tracks. He needs good support from talented opening pair of Adrian Barath and Lendl Simmons to boost their side to decent and competitive scores.

The big hitting all-rounder Kieran Pollard should add muscle to the batting unit, another option in the bowling and bring energy in the field. If Sammy wants his side to get better of the hosts, he has to perform admirably with both bat and ball. One man to look-out for in the West Indian ranks is all-rounder Andre Russell. The Jamaican has a serious potential and can turn any game on his head with either skill.

Bangladesh spinners made life difficult for opposition batsmen in the t-20 game and will be expected to repeat the effort throughout the ODI series. The onus will be on batters to put some runs on the board so that spinners can come into play big time. Rahim, like he did in the previous game, should set example so that his players put some price on their wickets which hasn’t happened regularly in the past. Senior batsmen Mohammad Ashraful and Shakib Al Hassan need to put their hand up and it is high time Tamim Iqbal translates his talent into some runs at the top.

Not often, Bangladesh go into a cricket match with favourites tag associated with them. But conditions and having men to utilize spin friendly surfaces gives them edge this time around. West Indies, on other hand, will feel if they play to their potential it will be hard for the hosts to beat them.

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Mahmudullah (vc), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan, Alok Kapali, Shuvagata Tom, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Suhawardi Shuvo, Naeem Islam

West Indies: Darren Sammy (capt), Adrian Barath, Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Danza Hyatt, Anthony Martin, Kieron Pollard, Kieran Powell, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons