The first Test match between Bangladesh and West Indies saw an incredible innings from the debutant middle-order batsman Kyle Mayers that helped West Indies chase down a record chase in Asia.
Kyle Mayers is a left-hand batsman who had already represented West Indies in three One Day Internationals and two Twenty20 International matches, scoring 76 runs across formats. The middle-order batsman was given the Test debut in Chattogram after the first choice players such as regular captain Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer etc. pulled out of the tour due to concerns.
Batting first, Bangladesh put on 430 runs. It was made by Mehedy Hasan Miraz’s maiden Test match century, followed by fifties from Shakib Al Hasan and Shabman Islam. They then bowled West Indies out for 259 runs, gaining 170 runs lead.
Mehedy Hasan took 4 wickets and West Indies batsmen were supported by captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s 76, Jermaine Blackwood’s 68, Joshua Da Silva’s 42 and Kyle Mayers’ 40.
In the second Innings, Bangladesh scored 223-8 declared. Bangladesh’s captain Mominul Haque scored 115 to set the target for West Indies of 395.
West Indies quickly found themselves at 59-3, struggling to even cope with the spin of Bangladesh spinners. Two debutants, one is Mayers himself and the other Nikrummah Bonner, set the platform for the team. They put on together 216 run stand between them. While Bonner was dismissed for 86, Kyle Mayers set on for history.
In the fourth innings chase, Kyle Mayers became the first-ever player to score a double ton on debut and sixth overall. Fittingly, he hit the winning runs to record the highest-chase ever in the sub-continent.
It will be the performance that will not be forgotten so easily, especially when the West Indies are in decline in Test cricket.
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