Mehidy Hasan Shines with Half-Century in Vain as West Indies Chase Down Target

Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz played a composed innings of 74 runs off 101 balls in the first ODI against West Indies in St. Kitts.

Despite his efforts, the team fell short as West Indies chased down the target of 294 with five wickets in hand and 14 balls to spare.

Bangladesh’s innings began on a shaky note, with two early wickets reducing them to 46/2. Mehidy’s steady approach stabilized the innings as he partnered with opener Tanzid Hasan, adding 79 runs. Tanzid’s aggressive knock of 60 from 60 balls provided momentum before his dismissal.

Mehidy continued to anchor the innings, forming another valuable partnership of 54 runs with Afif Hossain (28).

His dismissal in the 38th over to Jayden Seales left Bangladesh needing a late flourish, which was delivered by Mahmudullah (50*) and Jaker Ali (48). The duo’s aggressive batting in the final overs lifted the total to 294/6.

Rutherford and Hope Shine for West Indies

Bangladesh started well with the ball, reducing the West Indies to 27/2 early in their chase. However, Sherfane Rutherford’s explosive century and Shai Hope’s dependable 86 turned the tide.

Rutherford’s 113 off 80 balls was a masterclass in power-hitting, while Hope played the perfect supporting role. The pair shared a crucial 99-run partnership, setting up the chase.

Justin Greaves’ unbeaten 41 ensured the hosts crossed the finish line comfortably.

Bangladesh’s bowlers struggled to maintain momentum, particularly in the middle overs, where the West Indies batters capitalized on loose deliveries.

Positives Amid Challenges

After the match, Mehidy reflected on the team’s performance, highlighting areas of improvement while acknowledging the positives.

He noted the difficulty of bowling in challenging conditions and emphasized the importance of learning from such experiences.

“It is challenging in their own backyard, and our bowlers, despite bowling well, could learn a lot from these kinds of matches, like how to handle pressure,” he said. “I feel there are lots of positives from this game for us.”

Mehidy also praised the batting unit’s efforts, particularly the partnerships he built with Tanzid and Afif, as well as the finishing contributions of Mahmudullah and Jaker.

“The way Jaker Ali and Riyad bhai [Mahmudullah] finished was brilliant. If that was not the case, the runs could have been lesser, but we played well as a batting unit,” he added.

Learning Opportunities for a Young Team

The absence of key players like Mushfiqur Rahim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Towhid Hridoy due to injuries left Bangladesh with a relatively inexperienced side.

Mehidy viewed this as an opportunity for younger players to gain experience and develop under pressure.

“If there are senior cricketers in the team, they give a lot of output and information. Riyad bhai and Litton Das helped a lot,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Mehidy expressed optimism about the series, emphasizing the team’s resilience. “We still have a chance because we have just lost one game. If we can win the next game, we can have the opportunity to win the series,” he said.

Areas for Improvement

Mehidy acknowledged that the game slipped away in the middle overs due to a lack of wickets and a strong partnership from the West Indies batters.

“Our bowlers did well in the first half [of the chase]. The game was in our control for the first 25 to 30 overs, but they took it away from us in the last 20 overs when they charged,” he remarked.

Despite the loss, Mehidy remains encouraged by the team’s overall performance. “I feel we have a lot of positives, like our batsmen did well and our bowlers bowled well initially. We could have won the game if we improved on certain areas.”