West Indies went 2–0 up in the T20I series in Bangladesh with a gritty 14-run win in Chattogram, defending a sub-par 149/9 to close out Bangladesh at 135/8. That follows the 16-run win in the opener, so the series is already sealed with one to play.
The platform came from twin fifties by Alick Athanaze and skipper Shai Hope, who surged to milestones inside 11 overs before a Mustafizur Rahman burst (three wickets in the final over) kept the total in check. Even so, 149 proved enough on the night.
In the chase, Tanzid Hasan’s 46 kept Bangladesh in touch but the Windies’ death bowling held its nerve: Romario Shepherd (3/29) and Jason Holder (2/20) squeezed the penultimate overs, and Akeal Hosein (3/22) closed it out. Final line: WI 149/9 beat BAN 135/8.
It needs to be said that catching was ragged. West Indies put down at least three chances during the chase. It didn’t cost them today, but that catching -- and the batting -- must improve fast if they want clean sweeps and, more importantly, momentum heading into bigger assignments.
The CG United Super50 Cup returns with six regional squads squaring off from Wednesday 19 November to Saturday 29 November, with matches taking place at three venues across Trinidad – Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA), Queen’s Park Oval (QPO) and Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground (UWI SPEC).
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force (TTRF), Barbados Pride (BP), Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE), Jamaica Scorpions (JS), Leeward Islands Hurricanes (LIH) and Windward Islands Volcanoes (WIV) will all do battle for the top prize of US$100,000, with US$50,000 being awarded to the runner-up, while the 3rd and 4th placed teams will each take home US$25,000.
Entry to all matches will be free, with games at BLCA beginning at 2:00 PM AST / 1:00 PM Jamaica time, while matches at QPO and UWI SPEC will bowl off at 9:00 AM AST / 8:00 AM Jamaica time.
Kemar Roach was seen in tip-top shape in the nets at Kensington Oval on Tuesday looking fit and ready for a return to the big stage. The 37-year-old with 284 wickets in an illustrious 85-match Test career, was spotted bowling at full speed in the nets alongside Barbados-born England players Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan. They joined the Barbados Pride players as they continued intense preparations for the upcoming Super50 List A tournament in Trinidad.
Roach’s unexpected presence has fueled speculation that he is in line for a call-up for the West Indies upcoming tour of New Zealand where the Windies will face the Black Caps in three Test matches in December in Christ Church, Wellington and Mount Maunganui. Archer meanwhile is working in the build-up for the upcoming blockbuster Ashes as England take on Australia.
The West Indies suffered a 179-run loss at the hands of Bangladesh in the deciding 3rd One Day International in Mirpur earlier on Thursday. The Caribbean side, who were set 297 runs to win, were bundled out for 117 in 30.1 overs.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy was left unimpressed with his team’s spinners. “I'm really disappointed in the way we bowled,” he said. “When you come to Bangladesh, spinners should be licking their lips because that's the area where you will get to execute your plans in the most favourable conditions.”
Spinners Wickets Average Econ
West Indies 18 29.44 4.7
Head coach Shane Deitz says he wants the West Indies Women’s team to be fitter when they return to international cricket in 2026. Almost a full quota of the senior team started training camp in Antigua and Barbuda on Monday and will remain there through the first week of December. “One area we've got to get right is our strength and conditioning," Deitz said.
Since his appointment in July of 2023, the Australian has insisted he wants the team to play the ‘Caribbean way.’ He reiterated, “We need fast, athletic, and robust cricketers who can play the style of cricket we want, entertain the crowds, put on a massive show, and win lots of games, but also stay fit and healthy through a tough period.”
The West Indies are in the fourth of an 8-month drought of competitive cricket after failing to qualify for the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup. They have been inactive since their 2-1 T20I home series win over South Africa in June and will not feature until February, when Sri Lanka travels to the Caribbean for a white-ball tour.
