The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) almost witnessed its first ever time out incident today when Khulna Tigers captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz appealed for the dismissal against Chittagong Kings’ batter Tom O’Connell but later retracted the appeal at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Bangladesh’s stand-in skipper Mehedi Hasan Miraz admitted there is work to be done in the bowling department after it got exposed on the flat tracks in St Kitts against West Indies in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series, which the visitors lost 3-0.

"Our score wasn't enough, 300-plus was needed," admitted Bangladesh captain Miraz during post-match presentation. "We bowled really well in the first ten overs but on this wicket, it's hard for bowlers to defend an under-par score."

"[On their total] we were satisfied. 294 is a very good score on this kind of pitch. Credit to them, especially Hope and Rutherford. They got a partnership on this wicket. It was a tough day for our bowlers,” said Miraz during post-match presentation ceremony. 

Rutherford, playing in his 10th ODI, slammed seven fours and eight sixes in his 80-ball innings of 113 which ended with West Indies just seven runs short of completing the highest ever run chase on the ground.

Few would have believed Miraz when he spoke of a comeback after the first Test.

Left-arm spinner Taijul took 5 for 50 in the fourth innings to help bowl out West Indies for 185. Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud and Rana took the other five wickets.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the squad for the three ODIs against the West Indies, with Najmul Hossain Shanto and batter Towhid Hridoy missing out owing to injuries.

Bangladesh all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz has jumped up three places in the Test all-rounder’s rankings after the first Test against West Indies and is jointly third in the rankings alongside Shakib Al Hasan.

Not often can a cricketer boast reaching a milestone just by stepping onto the field. But on Friday, all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz reached not one but two significant career milestones when he went out for the toss ahead of the first of the two Tests against West Indies in Antigua.

Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze both fell just short of maiden Test centuries as West Indies reached 250-5 at stumps on the opening day of the first Test of two against Bangladesh on Friday.

Bangladesh’s Test record against the West Indies stands at four wins in 20 encounters, with just two victories on Caribbean soil -- both in 2009.

Bangladesh take on the West Indies in the first Test in Antigua today, hoping their slightly inexperienced batting line-up can weather the pace storm. Antigua has a strong recent record of making Bangladesh batters suffer.

The match will begin at 8:00 PM Bangladesh time and is an opportunity for the Tigers to gear up before their final assignment of the ongoing ICC Test Championship 2023-25 cycle – a two-Test series against the West Indies – begins at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on November 22.

In all likelihood, Miraz, named vice-captain, is set to captain the side in West Indies Tests, taking over duties from Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has been ruled out of the upcoming Tests due to a groin strain. Shanto, who was also unable to play yesterday due to that injury, talked about Miraz’s innings at the interval.

Mahmudullah Riyad fell in the nervous nineties for the first time in his international career, but not before the veteran smashed a brilliant run-a-ball 98 to propel Bangladesh to 244 for eight in the series-deciding third ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah yesterday.

Bangladesh all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz claimed that the pitch used for the first ODI of the three-match against Afghanistan on Wednesday changed abruptly to cause a thumping collapse in the Tigers’ batting effort, leading to a 92-run loss at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. 

In Test cricket, Bangladesh have always blazed their own trail, usually down the wrong path, and followed processes that would beget blank stares and stunned looks in most other teams.

Miraz has been involved in all three latest fightbacks with the bat in Tests after a top-order collapse.

As it stands, South Africa are still in the driving seat despite Bangladesh’s 81-run lead.