West Indies clinched the first Test match against Bangladesh at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Sunday. The historical innings of 210 runs of West Indies batter Kyle Mayers helped the visitors chase a huge target of 395 runs. The partnership of 216 runs between Nkrumah Bonner and Mayers propelled the Windies to snatch the victory. Mayers and Rahkeem Cornwall closed the match with the three-wicket win.
When West Indies walked into the final day of the opening Test in Chattogram, not many believed the young, inexperienced side was capable of even challenging Bangladesh. A humiliating 0-3 drubbing for Windies in the ODI series had even prompted the Bangladesh Test captain to acknowledge that his side is favourites.
Having dominated the first four days of the contest, Bangladesh were in for a rude shock as Kyle Mayers’s unbeaten 210 led West Indies to a sensational come-from-behind three-wicket win. Needing 285 on the final, Mayers found the perfect ally in Nkrumah Bonner as the pair, who struck 216, helped West Indies pull off the fifth-highest chase in Test cricket, and the highest ever in Asia. The last time West Indies won in Bangladesh- in 2012 - Marlon Samuels made 260 while Darren Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul struck centuries. The last time West Indies won in Chattogram - a venue where the Bangladesh captain has seven of his ten Test centuries - Mayers was just 10-year-old.
Depleted by the absence Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Roston Chase and Shamarh Brooks who had all decided to opt out of the tour, there was little indication of the second string side's fight in the first four days as Bangladesh continued to torment the visitors. Having conceded a first-innings lead of 171, it seemed West Indies had thrown in the towel. To add to their misery, they saw Mominul (115) and Liton Das (69) grind their bowlers down without any mercy.
The hosts, clearly hampered with the absence of injured Shakib Al Hasan, had little answers to the Mayers-Bonner stand on the final day. That, however, doesn't mean they failed to create opportunities. When the pair played out wicketless first two sessions, Bangladesh had at least four opportunities to dismiss both Mayers and Bonner. The first came in the 53rd over when Mayers was on 49. The outside edge was grassed in the cordon as the left-hander got to fifty. Three overs later, Bonner was trapped plumb in front by Nayeem Hasan. Bangladesh decided not to take the review but the replays showed the ball crashing into the stumps.
West Indies were 266 for 3 at tea break and 129 away from a sensational win. Bangladesh were nervy to start and were waiting for the visitors to make a move. In the first over of the final session, Bonner struck Taijul for a six to make their intentions clear. He was, however, dismissed on the very next ball as Taijul trapped him in front.
Jermaine Blackwood opened his account with a six but fell for 9. At 292 for 5, Bangladesh finally had an opening they were toiling for. The door, though, was shut firmly on their face by Mayers. He got to his double century with a single in the 124th over to West Indies needing just 10. Not since Nathan Astle’s 222 in 2002 had any player scored a double century in the fourth innings of a Test. It took a special effort to give West Indies a special win. There was a wobble but not enough to nullify Mayers’s historic effort.