Sports Reporter :
The first Test match between the visitors Bangladesh Cricket team and hosts West Indies will begin at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua today. The match will start at 8.00pm (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Before today’s match, Bangladesh and West Indies faced each other in 18 Test matches. Of them, Bangladesh won four Test matches, while West Indies recorded 12 victories and two clashes ended in draws.
The second Test match between West Indies and Bangladesh will take place at Gros Islet in Saint Lucia from June 24 to June 28.
The two Test matches will be held as part of ICC World Test Championship. West Indies have taken in the sixth place of the points table bagging 30 points from seven Test matches, while Bangladesh have achieved the 9th position earning 16 points from eight Test matches.
The touring side have to adapt with the conditions of the venue, if they want to earn a good result. The players of Bangladesh Cricket team have to adapt with the conditions of Antigua. Antigua is very much windy and the Tigers try to adapt there with the conditions.
Head Coach of Bangladesh Cricket team Russell Domingo said, ” My boys try to become accustomed with the windy conditions of Antigua. There will be a windy weather here and the bowlers have to be used with the rotate of the cherry.”
Bangladesh Cricket team played a three-day warm-up match against West Indies President’s XI as part of preparation here.
Dashing opener Tamim Iqbal notched up a century, while Najmul Hossain Shanto knocked a half-century. Pacers Mustafizur Rahman and Ebadot Hossain shone with the cherry.
Domingo said, ” We are very happy after performing in the three-day practice match here. The batters and the bowlers showed good performance, which is valuable before the first Test against West Indies. We have taken a good preparation. Before the match, we took part training in the venue, which is very much positive for Team Bangladesh. The batters and bowlers took preparation according to the way of the wickets and venue.”
Bangladesh probable XI: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mustafizur Rahman, Liton Das (Wicketkeeper), Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain and Khaled Ahmed.
West Indies probable XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Joshua Da Silva (Wicketkeeper), Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer and Jayden Seales.
