The Sher-e-Bangla Stadium will host its ninth One-Day International of the year when Bangladesh hosts Windies for the first of two ODIs at the venue. The pitch in Dhaka has been rather unpredictable with first innings scores ranging from 82 to 320 spanning the eight ODIs hosted there since January of this year; the 300 mark being surpassed only once with the team batting first coming out triumphant on five of those occasions. The visitors will have their work cut out for them as unlike the flat tracks offered up in India, the Bangladesh pitches are expected to turn.
Back home, the build up to the series has been dominated by news that the Jamaican Rovman Powell will stand in for the injured Jason Holder as captain. The appointment of Powell as interim captain adds to the long list of bemusing decisions (at face value) which has led to the lack of trust between Caribbean fans and the West Indies selectors in recent times. The news of Powell as captain almost overshadowed the fact that Darren Bravo has now “snuck” back into two of three formats with his inclusion in the 15-man squad. Whether his involvement is the correct decision, what has changed (in the eyes of the selectors) since he was unable to make the squad to India? Either the need for his services just dawned upon Browne and company, or the selection panel has bowed to public pressure—both of which are unbecoming of the leaders of the region’s game.
With the omission of Obed McCoy and the injured Ashley Nurse the squad reads: Rovman Powell (Capt), Marlon Samuels, Devendra Bishoo, Roston Chase, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope (wk), Carlos Brathwaite, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Fabian Allen, Kemar Roach, Sunil Ambris, Oshane Thomas.
Along with the squad list came this statement from Windies Chairman of selectors, Courtney Browne: “With two more ODI Series before the 2019 World Cup, the Bangladesh series allows us to narrow our search for our final 15-member World Cup squad”. Which begs the question -what more could young McCoy have done in the two opportunities given to at least retain his place in the squad. Or maybe, we should be expecting a trend and with the return of Holder and Nurse, we’ll then be sending Fabian Allen and Keemo Paul on their merry way next.
The visitors will have a feat on their hands in fitting four number three batsmen into their playing XI; as Hope and Hetmyer should retain their places based on their recent roles in India and surely veteran Samuels won’t be asked to make way for the returning DM Bravo. Putting all the controversy and perceived bad decisions (leading up to this series) aside, there is still the hope that Powell will lead his charges well, give Bangladesh a run for their money in tough conditions and avenge the disappointment of the Test series.
Predicted XI: Hemraj, SD Hope (wk), DM Bravo, Samuels, Chase, Hetmyer, R Powell (c), Allen, Bishoo, Roach, O Thomas.
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