Taijul Islam spins Bangladesh to test series leveller with Windies

Taijul Islam snared five wickets for the 15th time in a test innings to lead Bangladesh to a series-levelling 101-run victory over the West Indies on the fourth evening of the second and final test at Sabina Park on Tuesday.

After Jaker Ali's test-best innings of 91 lifted the tourists to 268 all out in their second innings and left the home team with a daunting victory target of 287, left-arm spinner Islam broke the back of the Caribbean side's effort with five for 50 as they were dismissed for 185 in the day's final session.

Fast bowler Nahid Rana, whose maiden five-wicket haul in the first innings pulled Bangladesh back into contention, had the satisfaction of administering the final rites when he yorked last man Shamar Joseph for his only wicket of the innings.

"It's a great feeling to win a test match abroad which we don't often do and all the boys really put in a tremendous effort," said player-of-the-match Islam.

Taijul Islam's five-wicket haul helps Bangladesh to victory in Jamaica 👏#WIvBAN 📝 https://t.co/J9qsQIllzv#WTC25 pic.twitter.com/Xjx78wza31

— ICC (@ICC) December 3, 2024

Seamers Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud took two wickets each with Taskin emerging as the leading wicket-taker in the brief series with 11 victims to his name.

Kavem Hodge topscored for the West Indies with 55, while captain Kraigg Brathwaite played with unusual adventure at the top of the order in contributing 43 off 63 deliveries.

But they lost wickets at regular intervals and eventually succumbed in just 50 overs as Bangladesh swiftly avenged the 201-run mauling they endured in the first test in Antigua a week earlier.

"We wanted to be positive and I thought we started well but obviously we couldn't carry it through to the end of the day," said a rueful Brathwaite.

This was Bangladesh's first test victory in the West Indies since their 2-0 sweep over a depleted Caribbean side in 2009.

Earlier Ali's belligerent innings, which occupied 106 deliveries and was embellished by eight fours and five sixes, tilted the balance heavily in favour of Bangladesh as the highest successful run-chase in a test at Sabina Park was the 212 achieved by the West Indies over Sri Lanka in 2003.

Such was the extent of the 26-year-old right-hander's dominance of the morning that he contributed 62 of the 75 runs added by the tourists after resuming at the overnight position of 193-5.

Alzarri Joseph and Kemar Roach took three wickets each for the West Indies, Joseph ending Ali's quest for a maiden test hundred when he was last out, caught at deep midwicket a half-hour before lunch.

WEST INDIES: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty, Kavem Hodge, Alick Athanaze, Justin Greaves, Joshua Da Silva (wkt), Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales.

BANGLADESH: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Shahadat Hossain, Mominul Haque, Litton Das (wkt), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Jaker Ali, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana.