Bangladesh opt to bat, Mushfiqur Rahim misses out with injury

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat in the Mirpur Test against the West Indies, with veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim ruled out after sustaining a finger injury in training.

Mushfiq hurt his right index finger during Tuesday morning’s practice session and was seen in considerable pain. He returned to the dressing room with tape wrapped around the finger and did not bat again during the session.

Although X-rays revealed no serious damage and he had been considered available for selection on Tuesday night, the 38-year-old was ultimately left out of the playing XI.

Mushfiqur also missed Bangladesh’s last Test against the West Indies, during the 2024 tour of the Caribbean, because of injury.

Towhid Hridoy has been named as his replacement. Hridoy made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in June and subsequently scored an unbeaten 350 for Bangladesh A during their tour of South Africa in August.

Bangladesh have opted for a bowling attack featuring two fast bowlers, Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud, alongside three specialist spinners.

Bangladesh, currently fourth in the World Test Championship standings, face a demanding task if they are to reach the final. They must win at least four of their remaining six Tests in the current cycle, beginning with the Mirpur encounter against the West Indies.

Shanto, however, said on Tuesday that his attention was firmly on the match at hand, rather than the prospect of reaching the World Test Championship final.

The West Indies, who sit eighth in the standings, face less pressure. Finishing the cycle in the top five would satisfy their immediate ambitions and bring additional financial benefits.

For Bangladesh, the Mirpur Test is therefore an important first step towards keeping their hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final alive, while the visitors will be looking to improve their standing without the same pressure to qualify.

Teams

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Tanzid Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam and Shoriful Islam.

West Indies: Jonathan Campbell, Brandon King, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo (wk), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Joshua Bishop, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales