With no win this year and now without suspended all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh are set to take on a West Indies side full of famed limited-overs players.
Queen’s Park Stadium in Grenada will host the first of the three-ODI series on Wednesday.
Shakib had captained Bangladesh to a 3-0 ODI series win over the Caribbeans in 2009, which was the Tigers’ last outing there.
However, a dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players’ Association back then had depleted the hosts.
Shakib, serving a six-month ban due to disciplinary issues, hit two fifties and took two wickets in the series.
West Indies, who lost their last bilateral ODI series in Bangladesh 3-2 back in 2012, are far from stable as rumours of coach Ottis Gibson’s departure swirl around the media.
The talk of Gibson’s exit spread after he missed training in Grenada and there was added speculation that former South Africa and Australia coach Mickey Arthur would be taking over.
This is unlikely to make the hosts feel overly confident.
Despite the coach confusion, the hosts are at full strength with Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard ready to boost their hopes of World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in six months’ time.
Experienced duo Ravi Rampaul and Kemar Roach will lead the hosts’ bowling.
Bangladesh’s batting line-up will mostly depend on their skipper Mushfiqur Rahim as the other senior batsman Tamim Iqbal has been out of from over the last few months.
Tamim, though, signalled regaining his touch during their home practice matches and in the one-off warm-up match against Grenada at the St. Andrew’s Progress Park on Monday, which they won by 95 runs.
Shohag Gazi will be have added responsibility in the absence of Shakib.
The 23-year-old spinner had picked up four wickets on his debut against the Caribbeans two years ago.
Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak has the calibre to pose a threat to the hosts.
The pace duo of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Taskin Ahmed is also expected to play a crucial role for the visitors.
Source: Bd news24
