West Indies didn’t expect so much dew at the end of the match.
Bangladesh’s captain had the advantage of experience dealing with such conditions, something West Indies lacked. Seeing the heavy dew in the final overs of the first T20 left the visitors a bit unsettled. However, none of Bangladesh’s top six batsmen were at the crease at that stage, so West Indies weren’t really in danger. Managing the dew, they left the field with a win. In the next two matches, Rovman Powell expects the dew could pose challenges for his side.
After arriving in Chattogram from Dhaka, Liton Das checked with the curator and locals to understand how the dew might affect the pitch and the game. The Caribbean team also formed their own idea of the conditions. Still, the extra moisture in the final overs of the first T20 caught them by surprise.
West Indies won the first T20 by 16 runs, with Powell playing a key role in the late-innings onslaught. Speaking at the post-match press conference as the team representative, he noted that none of Bangladesh’s main batsmen were there in the final overs, which reduced the risk for them.
“It’s clear that if any of Bangladesh’s main batsmen had stayed longer, we would have been under pressure. The field had become wet in the final overs. Our bowlers deserve credit for this. They stuck to the plan and took key wickets at crucial moments.”
The match also marked a milestone for Powell personally. Playing his 100th T20 for West Indies, he scored an unbeaten 46 off 28 balls and earned the Player of the Match award.
Having come to Bangladesh after losing seven consecutive series, Powell was naturally happy with the win. Yet, the conditions gave him food for thought.
“We gathered information about the pitch and the field. But we didn’t know it would be this wet. We will need to keep this in mind for the next two matches.”
