It took West Indies just over a couple of days to blow away Bangladesh in the first Test in Antigua. The hosts crushed the visitors by an innings an 219 runs to go one nil up in the two-match series. West Indies completed the proceedings shortly before lunch on day 3.
Shannon Gabriel finished with his fifth five-wicket haul while Jason Holder and Miguel Cummins shared the other five. The trio was so effective that the home side did not even miss their first-innings star Kemar Roach, who had taken 5 for just 8. On the other hand, Bangladesh will be keen to move on from the game which has been nothing short of a nightmare for them. This game was Bangladesh’s second shortest in terms of balls faced. In the last 66 years, the 59 overs that Bangladesh faced were the least a side faced in being bowled out twice.
The defeat could have been much heavier but Nurul Hasan’s fighting fifty helped them gain some respectability. Nurul’s 64-run knock was perhaps the only-bright spark for Bangladesh in the game. At 88 for 8, it looked like Bangladesh would fold up for less than 100 once again. However, Nurul and Rubel Hussain added 55 runs for the ninth-wicket to save them the blushes. This was also Bangladesh’s best partnership of the match.
West Indies made a great start to the day. Jason Holder dismissed Mahmudullah on the very first fall of the day to leave the visitors reeling at 63 for 7. Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Nurul then added 25 runs to steady the ship before Gabriel castled the former. Nurul and Hussain then put up a fighting stand before both of them fell in quick succession as Bangladesh were all out for 144 while chasing 364.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the match:
Loss by innings and 219 runs in under 3 days. @BCBtigers Board Members should resign. Enough is enough. Interim Committee to be formed n a full enquiry on our poor performances n state of the game to be conducted (have no interest to be part of either) #WIvBAN
— Saber H Chowdhury | সাবের হোসেন চৌধুরী (@saberhc) July 6, 2018
Windies u beauty!!!! ? #WIvBAN pic.twitter.com/YXLVdqAcXr
— .. ? (@kevin88fern) July 5, 2018
What kind of a scorecard is this, @BCBtigers!! ??#WIvBAN pic.twitter.com/GADgqPVXF8
— Aditya (@vizagobelix) July 6, 2018
.@BCBtigers lost its 20 wickets in just 59 overs to lose by an innings and 219 runs against @westindies in the 1st Test #WIvBAN
— Jatin Sharma (@jatincricket) July 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/FaST_CricBuzz/status/1015276863227351050
https://twitter.com/MS_Saying/status/1015277879578497026
https://twitter.com/KZF44/status/1015276782340198400