In a bid to avoid an ignominious whitewash in an ODI format, which is touted as their strongest zone, Bangladesh will take on West Indies in the third and final game today (12 December) at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts.
The match starts at 7.30 pm (Bangladesh Time).
Bangladesh lost the first match by five wickets before suffering a seven-wicket defeat in the second game to taste their first ever ODI series defeat to West Indies since 2014.
After registering their first Test victory on Caribbean Island for the first time since 2009, Bangladesh were looking for the fifth straight ODI series victory against West Indies, considering their strength and experience in this format.
Bangladesh in fact came to the series with the back of 11 straight ODI wins against West Indies. But the things didn’t pan out as they expected.
The West Indies, a team full of power hitters, found their form at right time on a batting favourable pitch to tear apart Bangladesh bowlers in an emphatic fashion, which was beyond the imagination.
They firstly snapped the 11-match losing streak by winning first game and then made it two in two with even easier victory in the second game.
Bangladesh were all out for 227 in the second game and things could have become worst had Mahmudullah Riyad and Tanzim Hasan Sakib not lifted them with record 92-run partnership after they were reduced to 115-7. West Indies gunned down the total with 79 balls to spare.
“If we hadn't lost those wickets consecutively and if the batters had shown a bit more commitment, we could have achieved a better score," said Tanzim after the match.
"Their bowlers, of course, bowled well. They got good swing and carry from the wicket. Perhaps we could have batted with a bit more commitment and focus. This was actually a very good batting wicket. I think if we had taken a bit more time initially, we could have recovered later," he added.
However, he believes that Bangladesh will be able to avoid a whitewash. Last time when West Indies won an ODI series against Bangladesh in 2014, they swept the three-match series.
Bangladesh are likely to make some changes to the squad while West Indies could stay unchanged.
The two sides met 46 times in this format with West Indies leading the contest with 23 win. Bangladesh won 21 matches while the rest of the two matches ended in a tie.
Squad
Bangladesh: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Captain), Liton Das (WK), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana
West Indies: Shai Hope (c), Brandon King (vc), Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Shimron Hetmyer, Amir Jangoo (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd
