Bangladesh v West Indies, 2012-13

Test matches (2): Bangladesh 0, West Indies 2
One-day internationals (5): Bangladesh 3, West Indies 2
Twenty20 international (1): Bangladesh 0, West Indies 1

	Tino Best improved his career-best in both Tests © Associated Press Enlarge
Related Links Series/Tournaments: West Indies tour of Bangladesh Teams: Bangladesh | West Indies

West Indies toured Bangladesh for the second year running, this time with a bit more swagger after carrying off the World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka two months previously. Chris Gayle was back, and Sunil Narine's reputation boosted by his performances in the IPL. They looked a united and happy bunch under Darren Sammy's relaxed leadership. Sammy is an exception in modern cricket: there were no airs about him, and he was hardly seen without a smile on his face throughout the tour, though admittedly it had faded by the time Bangladesh took the one-day series 3-2.

West Indies had already won both Tests, and finished on a winning note in the only Twenty20 match, but the one-day defeats were hard to take. Before they started, Sammy had outlined the rankings points he hoped to notch up: it didn't seem like arrogance, as his side were studded with big hitters such as Gayle and Kieron Pollard, and that Twenty20 triumph in Sri Lanka was fresh in the memory. Even Sammy's opposite number, Mushfiqur Rahim, said West Indies were the best one-day team in the world. On the field, however, the story unfolded differently, as Bangladesh's spinners strangled the Caribbean clobberers. The hosts won the first two matches - the second by a record margin - and kept their nerve to clinch the decider after West Indies fought back to 2-2.

Bangladesh's performances in the Tests had to be weighed against the fact that they hadn't played one for almost 11 months, whereas West Indies had already contested eight in 2012. In the circumstances, Bangladesh competed well in the First Test at Mirpur, trumping West Indies' 527 with 556, only to slide to a disappointing defeat on the final day. The second Test - the first to be played at Khulna - was a more comprehensive victory for the visitors.

Bangladesh's newcomers were also their star performers. In the first Test, Sohag Gazi - a 21-year-old from Barisal - became the first specialist offspinner to be capped by Bangladesh in almost a decade, and took nine wickets, despite being given the new ball and struck for two sixes by Gayle in the opening over, uniquely, including one off the first ball. Then, in the second Test, 20-year-old seamer Abul Hasan shocked everyone by becoming only the second No. 10 to score a century on Test debut.

For West Indies, Marlon Samuels continued his fine form, but the big names were disappointments: Gayle scored only 88 runs in the two Tests, and his form didn't improve in the one-dayers, where his best score was 35. Narine, meanwhile, managed only 3 for 343 in the Tests, although he did have better luck once the limited-overs matches got going. The Tests were a triumph for the fast bowler Tino Best, who improved his career-best in both games, bowling intelligently in the second despite a hamstring twinge.

Match reports for

Tour Match: Bangladesh Cricket Board XI v West Indians at Savar, Nov 9-10, 2012
Scorecard

1st Test: Bangladesh v West Indies at Mirpur, Nov 13-17, 2012
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2nd Test: Bangladesh v West Indies at Khulna, Nov 21-25, 2012
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Tour Match: Bangladesh Cricket Board XI v West Indians at Khulna, Nov 28, 2012
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1st ODI: Bangladesh v West Indies at Khulna, Nov 30, 2012
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2nd ODI: Bangladesh v West Indies at Khulna, Dec 2, 2012
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3rd ODI: Bangladesh v West Indies at Mirpur, Dec 5, 2012
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4th ODI: Bangladesh v West Indies at Mirpur, Dec 7, 2012
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5th ODI: Bangladesh v West Indies at Mirpur, Dec 8, 2012
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Only T20I: Bangladesh v West Indies at Mirpur, Dec 10, 2012
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