Bangladesh’s 100th Test defeat: A century of ignominy

Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh bowled by Jayden Seales of West Indies during 1st day of the 2nd Test between Bangladesh and West Indies at Darren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, on 24 June, 2022AFP

If the rain gods don’t have other plans and Nurul Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz don’t script a miraculous comeback, Bangladesh’s fate is pretty much sealed in the Saint Lucia Test against West Indies.

With two days of action left, Bangladesh are reeling on 132-6 in their second innings and need another 42 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

Even if Bangladesh somehow manage to avert an innings defeat, West Indies batsmen will have plenty of time to chase down whatever target Bangladesh can manage to muster.

But all’s not grim for Bangladesh in a sense as even in defeat they are on the verge of joining a list where Test nations like Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies are already present.

Shakib Al Hasan (L), of Bangladesh, takes evasive action during the third day of the 2nd Test between Bangladesh and West Indies at Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, on 26 June, 2022
AFP

The imminent defeat against West Indies is set to be Bangladesh’s 100th defeat in the format. With the loss, Bangladesh will become the ninth team to reach three-digit in the defeats column in Test cricket.

Before Bangladesh, Sri Lanka was the latest addition to the list. They suffered their 100th Test defeat in 2017 against India in Nagpur.

But it took the island nation 266 Tests to get to 100 defeats in the format. The Tigers are set to reach there in nearly half the time.

Bangladesh are playing their 134th Test in Saint Lucia. In the 133 prior matches, Bangladesh have won 16, drawn 18 and lost the remaining 99.

Tamim Iqbal (R) of Bangladesh walks off the field dismissed by Alzarri Joseph (2L) of West Indies during 1st day of the 2nd Test between Bangladesh and West Indies at Darren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, on 24 June, 2022
AFP

Bangladesh batters often become victims of the nervous nineties, taking up a lot of deliveries to reach the landmark and sometimes throwing their away wicket just inches away from a century.

But when it came to reaching to 100 Test defeats, the team showed no signs of slowing down. Since losing their 90th Test in February of 2021, Bangladesh have lost nine of their next 13 Tests and are set to complete the century with a defeat in Saint Lucia.

Out of the eight countries who have already suffered 100 Test defeats, seven have similarly reached the triple-figure mark in the victory column. Sri Lanka is the only country in the list that is yet to win 100 Tests, as they are four wins away from the milestone.

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But now, Sri Lanka won’t be the least successful team in that list as Bangladesh will take their spot. Forget a century, the Tigers are unlikely to complete a half-century of Test wins in the next decade.

Just a day after Bangladesh completed 22 years in the format, the Tigers are set to ‘mark’ the milestone with their 100th Test defeat. Bangladesh is set to enter another list of ignominy in Tests and immediately occupy the top-spot of the list. Hardly a surprise, is it?