Bangladesh will start their Caribbean mission from today with a four-day match at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Coolidge Antigua when the first Test off two-match series will commence at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound.
In the ongoing tour Bangladesh will play two Tests, three-match ODI and a three T20 series.
Bangladesh, who left the country for UAE early of this month following two humiliating series defeat in away and home against India (Test) and South Africa (Test, T20), could not get rid of the debacle when they suffered another ODI series against Afghanistan.
The Tigers reached to Caribbean Islands with a huge challenge to kick the bucket of recent worse memories of humiliation at home and away with breaking the winning drought.
Meanwhile, the Tigers have a memorable tour in West Indies in 2009, even it was the best ever away tour of Tigers in their 24 years’ Test history when they won the Test series by 2-0, ODI series by 3-0 and lost only T20 match.
The then Bangladesh had their one of the best Test sides with the eleven was including Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hassan, Mohammed Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Imrul Kayes, Junaed Siddique, Mahmudullah Riyad and Rubel Hossain.
On the other hand, West Indies had their weakest ever Test sides at that time when almost all their established players went to strike.
However, this ongoing series would also be a bit significant for Mehidy Hassan Miraz when he will play his 50th Test match and will have a chance to make it a pleasant one. Miraz could not make it a colourful of his 100th ODI milestone and first ever captaincy he had to lead the national side in absence of Nazmul Hossain Shanto, as Bangladesh suffered series defeat to Afghanistan on November 11 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
For Miraz it could have been a double delight if Bangladesh would win the match and as well as the series, he could mark the 100th ODI match as well as his debut match as the captain of the senior national side.
Miraz, who is the deputy of Nazmul Hassan Shanto, was promoted as captain for the series decider match after the regular captain was being ruled for the final ODI due to groin injury.
Miraz became the 13th Bangladesh cricketer played the century of ODIs and the 17th captain of the Tigers when the current chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu was the first captain to lead Bangladesh in International cricket.
But the 27-year right arm batter and right arm spin all rounder Miraz, however, got the captaincy at a moment, when the Tigers were under huge pressure, with a must win situation of the team to clinch the series.
As there are so much talking on Tiger’s future captain, who could replace Nazmul Hassan Shanto, as he announced to step down from captaincy and Taijul Islam told that he is ready and enough matured to take the charge and Miraz is the running vice-captain.
Unremarkably running vice-captain replaces in absence of regular captain, in this respect Meahidy Miraz would have the first priority or his name will come in the first consideration. Sometimes team management also consider the best and regular performer as the team’s captain captain.
Miraz, though had the captaincy of the main national sides at the age of 27, experienced with doing the job at age level with leading the Bangladesh Under-15, 17 and 19 teams. Interestingly Shanto, who captained Bangladesh till the second ODI against Afghanistan before being ruled out for injury, played under the leadership of Miraz in all aged level cricket.
But in the senior team it became countermand when Miraz has been playing under the captaincy of Shanto.
But there is a good opportunity for Miraz to have the leadership of Tigers, if he could show his mettle with performing well in the West Indies series.
However, it was not a remarkable beginner for Miraz as a captain (though for one ODI match) when, apart from the team’s poor show, he could not also make any remarkable impact despite scoring the second highest 66 runs, as he was a bit slower to play the innings at a striking rate of 55.46.
Miraz, who emerged as one of the brightest young stars in Bangladesh cricket with leading the country to their first appearance in an Under-19 World Cup semi-final in February 2016, also made memorable Test debut against England in October same year.
In the debut Test match, Miraz showed his brilliance with taking seven wickets, six in the first innings (39.5-7-80-6) and one in the second innings ,( 20-1-58-1).
