Nayeem’s resolute 52 sets West Indies 170 to win

Bangladesh were bowled out in their second innings on Saturday, setting West Indies 170 to win the Mirpur Test after Nayeem Hasan’s wilful 52 dragged them from 53 for six. Roston Chase finished with five wickets and Jomel Warrican four.

The end was self-inflicted. Nayeem charged down the track to Chase, tried to launch a floated length ball downtown and miscued to long on, where Joshua Bishop settled under it. Nayeem swung his bat in disgust, handing Chase a fifth wicket.

Nayeem’s maiden Test fifty came off 87 balls. He had failed to score off the final ball of the previous over, but Shoriful Islam took a single off the next, giving Nayeem the strike, and he took a single to reach the milestone.

Chase removed Taijul Islam lbw in the first over after drinks, ending a 17-run stand. He became the captain’s 100th Test victim. Rain then arrived with Bangladesh 132 for nine after 46 overs, Nayeem on 49, and play resumed at 11am.

Warrican’s arm ball had earlier trapped Hasan Mahmud for eight, snapping a 26-run stand, and Bangladesh used their last review in vain. Hasan had been reprieved on one when Warrican spilled a return catch, one of three chances West Indies shelled in the first hour.

Nayeem was twice let off at slip by Chase, on 21 when an edge off Warrican flew past him for four, and on 29 when he put down a straightforward chance. Both lives came off Warrican, whose arm ball and flight caused constant trouble.

By the drinks break Nayeem had passed his previous Test best of 35 not out, made against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, and Bangladesh had added 47 in 15 overs for the loss of Jaker and Hasan, leading by 153 on 126 for eight.

Jaker Ali had gone in the first over of the day, caught by Chase at slip off Warrican one ball after a cracking boundary, for 22 from 34 balls. His exit left Bangladesh 84 for seven, 111 ahead, and Hasan Mahmud joined Nayeem at the crease.

Bangladesh resumed on 79 for six, having lost six wickets for 53 the previous day against spin, with Chase taking three for 25 and Warrican two for 19. Bad light had again cut play short on day three, with the pair on 18 each.

Bangladesh had made 272 in the first innings, Shadman Islam hitting a century and Warrican taking five for 53. West Indies replied with 245, half-centuries coming from Tagenarine Chanderpaul and John Campbell, before Nayeem’s four for 33 gave Bangladesh a 27-run lead.

Taijul Islam had said before play that the team wanted around 200, so 170 falls short, though a pitch breaking up makes the chase harder than the number looks. Chase and Warrican shared nine wickets, with Shamar Joseph taking the other.

West Indies reached lunch on eight without loss after one eventful over from Miraz. King cracked the second ball to long leg for four, and a no-ball and two leg byes added four more before the umpire called lunch on day four.

Campbell lived dangerously in the same over. A missed paddle sweep struck his pad and umpire’s call on a ball clipping off stump saved him on review. Two more lbw appeals went unreviewed, the first leaving him needing the physio.

Bangladesh have defended a small target against West Indies before. In November 2018, at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, they set 204 after a second-innings 125 and bowled West Indies out for 139, winning by 64 runs, with spin again central.

Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nayeem Hasan were all part of that spin group, and the trio will hope to repeat the feat in Mirpur.