The floodlights at Sabina Park were turned on early, as the Kingston sky prepared to bid farewell to the sun. In this serene Jamaican evening, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and his teammates brought an exhilarating dawn for Bangladesh, thousands of miles away.
Bangladesh secured a commanding 101-run victory in the second Test against the West Indies, dismissing the hosts for 185 in their second innings. This win not only leveled the two-match series 1-1 but also ended a 15-year wait for a Test victory on Caribbean soil.
Looking at all matches home and away, this was Bangladesh’s first win over the West Indies in six years, their last triumph coming in 2018 in Dhaka. Despite losing the first Test in Antigua by 201 runs, Bangladesh’s spirited comeback in the second Test became apparent on the third day. With an 18-run first-innings lead, Bangladesh reached 193/5 in their second innings by stumps, extending their lead to 211 runs.
On the fourth morning, that lead swelled to 286, thanks largely to Zakir Ali, who scored a career-best 91. His effort provided the bowlers with a healthy cushion to dismantle the West Indies. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam spearheaded the attack, with support from pacers Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, and Hasan Mahmud.
A Historic Bowling Performance
Taijul set the tone early, removing opener McKail Louis with a sharp catch at short leg by Shahadat. The West Indies, resuming at 23/1 after lunch, were soon in trouble as Taskin dismissed Casey Carty, caught behind by Liton. Taijul then tore through the middle order, dismissing Craig Brathwaite and Alick Athanaze in successive overs before trapping Kavem Hodge leg-before after a well-made 55.
From 143/5, the West Indies crumbled, losing their last five wickets for just 42 runs. Taijul completed his five-wicket haul by dismissing Joshua Da Silva, while Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana polished off the tail.
Historic Achievement for Bangladesh
This victory marked Bangladesh’s first win in the Caribbean since their 2009 triumph in Grenada, which came against a depleted West Indies side. The Kingston match was also Bangladesh’s final Test of 2024, and they ended the year on a high note, matching their record of four Test wins in a calendar year (2014, 2018, 2023). This year’s wins also included triumphs over Pakistan and New Zealand.
Taijul Islam was named Player of the Match for his all-round contribution (6 wickets and a defiant stand with the bat). Taskin Ahmed and Jayden Seales shared the Player of the Series honors, with Taskin claiming a career-best 11 wickets across two Tests.
Match Summary
Bangladesh: 164 & 268 (Zakir 91, Shadman 46, Miraz 42, Shahadat 28; Roach 3/36, Alzarri 3/77)
West Indies: 146 & 185 (Hodge 55, Brathwaite 43; Taijul 5/50, Hasan 2/20, Taskin 2/45)
Result: Bangladesh won by 101 runs.
Player of the Match: Taijul Islam.
Series: 1-1 draw.
Players of the Series: Taskin Ahmed & Jayden Seales.
