SYLHET – The roar of the Sylhet crowd was silenced on Friday as Bangladesh found itself staring down the barrel of a daunting deficit on Day 2 of the second Test. While seamer Hasan Mahmud delivered a career-defining performance to keep the hosts within shouting distance of the West Indies’ first-innings total, the day ultimately belonged to the visitors, who dismantled the Bangladesh top order and left the Tigers nursing a significant injury blow.
At the close of play, the scoreboard painted a grim picture for the home side: trailing by 268 runs with only seven wickets remaining.
Hasan Mahmud leads the resistance
The day began with West Indies in a commanding position at 235/4, buoyed by the overnight presence of centurion Amir Jangoo and the steady Justin Greaves. For the opening hour, the duo seemed intent on batting Bangladesh out of the contest, extending their partnership to 106 runs. However, the introduction of the second new ball served as the catalyst for a stunning turnaround, spearheaded by Hasan Mahmud.
Hasan, finding movement and pace that had been lacking earlier in the innings, tore through the West Indies middle and lower order with surgical precision. The pacer struck a decisive blow by bowling Jangoo, whose gritty 133 off 235 deliveries finally came to an end. Not content with just one wicket, Hasan accounted for West Indies skipper Roston Chase with the very next ball, sending a ripple of electricity through the home dugout.
While he narrowly missed out on a hat-trick—Joshua Bishop narrowly survived a tense lbw review—Hasan was not to be denied his glory. He proceeded to mop up the tail, claiming the wickets of both Bishop and Shamar Joseph to finalize a sensational 6/90. It was a historic moment for the young bowler, marking his maiden five-wicket haul on home soil. Supported by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who claimed two scalps, Bangladesh eventually curtailed the West Indies at 356 shortly after the lunch interval.
Injury woes compound top-order collapse
If the mountain of runs wasn’t enough of a challenge, Bangladesh’s task became significantly more complicated during the fielding session. Shadman Islam, the opening batter who anchored the team’s hopes during the first Test, suffered a harrowing injury while patrolling the boundary. The left-hander appeared to twist his ankle severely in the outfield, requiring a stretcher to leave the field. He was promptly transported to a local hospital for an MRI, leaving his participation in the remainder of the series in severe jeopardy.
The loss of an established opener forced a makeshift start for the Tigers, and the gamble backfired spectacularly. With Shadman sidelined, Nayeem Hasan was promoted to open but struggled to find his rhythm, ultimately edging a delivery from Jayden Seales to Brandon King in the slips.
The collapse continued as the disciplined West Indies pace attack exploited the conditions. Justin Greaves, having already contributed with the bat, proved his worth with the ball by dismissing Tanzid Hasan for 16, thanks to a sharp catch at cover point by debutant Kevin Wickham. When Shamar Joseph rattled the stumps of captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for just 18, the hosts were reeling at 51/3, the game drifting dangerously toward a West Indies victory.
Fighting for survival
Amidst the wreckage, Towhid Hridoy and the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim attempted to stabilize the ship. Mushfiqur, returning to the squad after a frustrating layoff due to a finger injury, showcased his typical defiance. Despite a nervy moment where he survived an lbw call by the narrowest of margins, the experienced campaigner dug in, playing with the grit required to weather the storm.
Hridoy, batting on 29, looked increasingly comfortable against the probing West Indies bowlers, while Mushfiqur held his end on 19. The pair managed to guide Bangladesh to 88/3 before the umpires called an early halt to proceedings due to poor light.
As the teams head into the pavilion, the narrative is clear: West Indies holds all the cards. With a lead of 268, they will look to exert further pressure on the third morning, particularly if the hosts’ middle order fails to fire. For Bangladesh, the pressure to save the Test match—and their series—has never been higher. They will need a heroic batting performance on Day 3 to negate the deficit and provide themselves with a fighting chance in what remains a pivotal encounter.
Brief Scores:
West Indies 356 (Amir Jangoo 133, Kevin Wickham 61, Justin Greaves 51; Hasan Mahmud 6-90) lead Bangladesh 88/3 (Towhid Hridoy 29, Mushfiqur Rahim 19; Justin Greaves 1-10) by 268 runs.
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