Kyle Mayers scored a double century on his Test debut as the West Indies pulled off a miraculous come-from-behind three-wicket win over Bangladesh at Chattogram, reaching their target of 395 for the loss of seven wickets.
In the end, the 28-year-old Barbadian, who struck 20 fours and seven sixes, was unbeaten on 210, the second-highest score by a West Indian batsman on his Test debut. Only Lawrence Rowe’s 214 against New Zealand at Sabina Park in February 1972 was higher.
Mayers, the Man-of-the-Match, featured in a record stand of 216 with fellow debutant Nkrumah Bonner, who made a valiant 86 that laid the foundation for the incredible victory. It was the highest-ever fourth-wicket stand in the fourth innings of a Test match and led to the highest successful run chase in Asia.
Resuming from their overnight total of 110 for 3, needed a further 295 for victory, Mayers was on 37 and Bonner 15.
When Mayers got to 70 and Bonner 20, the pair that rode its luck early, put together the first 100-run partnership of the match for the West Indies. It took all of 205 balls. They took the score to 197 for 3 at lunch with Mayers unbeaten on 91 and Bonner on 43.
By tea, the score had swelled to 266 for 3 with Mayers on 117 and Bonner, 75.
At 275 for 3, the record stand was broken by Taijul Islam, who trapped Bonner lbw with a flatter length ball in the line of the stumps that the Jamaican looked to work it towards square leg but missed. His 86 came off 245 balls he faced in more than five and a half hours of resolute batting.
There were signs of a possible collapse when Nayeem Hasan bowled Jermaine Blackwood for 9 to make it 292 for 5. However, Joshua da Silva proved to be a stabilizing force, who with Mayers put on 100 runs for the sixth wicket that took the West Indies within three runs of an improbable victory.
The Trinidadian wicketkeeper/batsman faced 59 balls in his 83-minute stay before Taijul Islam bowled him for 20.
It was fitting that Mayers scored the winning run, a quick single to mid-on to hand the West Indies victory.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who scored a century in Bangladesh’s first innings score of 430, took 4-113, for eight wickets in the match. He would have likely been Man-of-the-Match had it not been for Kyle Mayers’ historic knock.
Scores: Bangladesh 430 and 223 for 8 declared; West Indies 259 and 395 for 7.
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Brandon King named captain as West Indies squad named for three-match T20I series against South Africa
Brandon King has been appointed captain of the West Indies squad named to face South Africa in the upcoming three T20 International series at Sabina Park in Kingston starting Thursday, May 23. The squad has been gearing up for this exciting and highly anticipated series with a training camp held at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. The selection panel has confirmed that Brandon King will have Roston Chase as his vice captain. Both appointments are on an interim basis.
King was set to lead the West Indies A-Team on the recently concluded T20 tour to Nepal before he was withdrawn due to injury. Chase, appointed instead, went on to lead the A-Team to a series win against Nepal.
The West Indies Men’s squad for the series is as follows: Brandon King (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd and Hayden Walsh Jr.
Alzarri Joseph and Sherfane Rutherford will be added to the squad if their respective franchises do not reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) Final. Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran are both rested for the series and will join the squad in Trinidad on Monday, 27 May.
“These are among the last competitive T20 International matches before the start of the World Cup,” said lead selector Desmond Haynes. “Players have the opportunity to fine-tune their skills and ensure they are as prepared as they can be for the World Cup, whether they are in the final squad or reserve pool.”
White Ball Head Coach Daren Sammy also commented on his objectives for this series stating, “We have not played together as a team since the Australia series, but we just completed a very high-intensity training camp in Antigua. Now we have the chance to integrate some of our players returning from the IPL and build some momentum as a group going into the World Cup.”
Tickets for the T20I Series against South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica are available now to buy online from the Windies Tickets service, at WINDIES TICKET PORTAL. Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20 per cent discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best-shaded views in the stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.
Match schedule:
- 23 May 1st T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
- 25 May 2nd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
- 26 May 3rd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
West Indies won the last T20 International played at Sabina Park against New Zealand in August 2022, which was the last time international cricket was played at this historic venue.
IPL: Royals miss top-two chance after washout against leaders KKR
Rajasthan Royals were denied their shot at a top-two Indian Premier League finish after rain saw a clash with Kolkata Knight Riders abandoned without a ball bowled on Sunday.
The Royals finished third in the group stage of this year's IPL after four straight losses preceded the washout in Guwahati.
In-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru awaits in the Eliminator for Rajasthan on May 22, with the former on a six-match winning streak to reach the playoffs.
Pat Cummins' Sunrisers Hyderabad will face leaders Kolkata, whose last two games have been abandoned, in the first qualifier in Ahmedabad the day before.
IPL: Sunrisers cruise to victory to boost second-place hopes
Sunrisers Hyderabad eased to a four-wicket win over Punjab Kings on Sunday to boost their chances of finishing second in the Indian Premier League.
Prabhsimran Singh helped Punjab set a target of 215, but Hyderabad chased that down with relative ease to go second, a position they will finish in should Rajasthan Royals lose to the table-topping Kolkata Knight Riders later on Sunday.
After the Sunrisers won the toss and put Punjab in to bat, Prabhsimran top scored with 71 runs from 45 deliveries, while Atharva Taide (46 off 27) and Rilee Roussouw (49 from 24) also impressed as the Kings, already out of playoff contention, finished on 214/5.
Hyderabad's chase got off to a terrible start as Travis Head was bowled with the first ball of the innings, but the Sunrisers' other opener Abhishek Sharma helped to steady the ship alongside Rahul Tripathi.
Abhishek smashed his way to 66 off 28 deliveries before he was dismissed, while an important innings from Heinrich Klaasen (42 from 26) set the Sunrisers up for victory.
Abdul Samad and Sanvir Singh finished the job as the Sunrisers reached their target with five balls to spare, and they can now look ahead to their playoff campaign.
Data debrief: Abhishek wastes no time
The Sunrisers overcame Head's second IPL golden duck thanks to a brilliant innings from Abhishek, who reached his half-century in just 21 balls and finished with a strike rate of 235.71.
Tripathi and Klaasen achieved strike rates of 183.33 and 161.53 respectively, while Nitish Kumar Reddy also finished with 37 from 25 deliveries as Hyderabad made light work of a daunting target.
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