Towhid Hridoy's 242 gives Bangladesh 30-run lead; Sammy backs WI fightback
Synopsis
Towhid Hridoy's unbeaten 242 — reportedly the highest Test score by a Bangladeshi — handed Bangladesh a 30-run first-innings lead in Sylhet. But West Indies coach Darren Sammy was unfazed, and his confidence looked justified as the Windies reached 259/2 at tea on Day 4, leading by 229 with four sessions still to play.
Key Takeaways
Towhid Hridoy scored an unbeaten 242 — reportedly the highest Test score by a Bangladeshi batter — as Bangladesh posted 386 .
Bangladesh took a 30-run first-innings lead over West Indies (356) in the second Test at Sylhet .
Amir Jangoo's 133 was the cornerstone of the West Indies first innings.
Coach Darren Sammy described the match as 'evenly poised' and urged his batters to negate Bangladesh's new-ball attack on Day 4 .
West Indies reached 259/2 at tea on Day 4 , leading by 229 with four sessions remaining.
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy expressed confidence in his team's ability to respond strongly in their second innings of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on 8 November 2026, after the hosts secured a slender 30-run first-innings lead.
Hridoy's Historic Knock Tilts the Balance
Towhid Hridoy delivered a stunning and unbeaten 242 — reportedly the highest Test score ever recorded by a Bangladeshi batter — to power the hosts to 386 in reply to West Indies' first-innings total of 356. The knock gave Bangladesh the initiative heading into the second half of the match, as the team look to bounce back after losing the first Test in Dhaka.
Sammy was generous in his assessment of Hridoy's innings. 'He played really well. Could we have done things differently? I'm pretty sure when we reflect, there's always room for improvement. But credit must be given to him for the way he played,' the coach said on Sunday, ahead of Day 4.
Sammy: 'The Game is Evenly Poised'
Despite the deficit, Sammy remained upbeat, pointing to the time still available in the match and the quality of his batting lineup. 'There's still a lot of time left in the game, and that's the beauty of Test cricket. The game is evenly poised, and we've got to bat well today and put ourselves in a good position,' he said.
West Indies' first innings was anchored by Amir Jangoo's impressive 133, which helped them post a competitive 356. With several batters in form, Sammy stressed the importance of weathering Bangladesh's new-ball threat early on Day 4.
Key Battle: Surviving the New Ball
'They've got some really good new-ball bowlers. The ball is fairly new. They're asking questions of our batsmen's technique. We just have to make sure we don't let them have early inroads, especially on Day 4,' Sammy noted.
He singled out King and Da Silva as the pair who needed to give West Indies a solid platform. 'The way these guys have batted this year, we've got some really good batters in form. Once we negate that new ball, I think we could put ourselves in a good position at the end of this play,' he added.
West Indies Build a Strong Platform
Sammy's confidence appeared well-placed: by the tea break on Day 4, West Indies had reached 259/2, establishing a lead of 229 with four sessions still remaining in the match. The contest, which the Windies need to win to level the series, remained open and compelling heading into the final stretch.
With the series level at 0-1 after the first-Test loss in Dhaka, every session in Sylhet carries extra weight for the visitors. How West Indies manage their declaration — and how Bangladesh's batters respond under pressure — will likely decide the outcome of this closely fought series.
Point of View
Bangladesh batters have converted starts without converting them into match-defining performances; this innings breaks that pattern emphatically. Sammy's calm after conceding a lead speaks to a squad that has grown in confidence this year, but the real test comes in how West Indies manage their second-innings declaration and whether their bowlers can defend a target on a surface that has already shown it offers plenty for batters. The series, once expected to be a formality for the Windies, is now a genuine contest.
NationPress
8 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the first innings of the West Indies vs Bangladesh 2nd Test in Sylhet?
Bangladesh posted 386 in their first innings, led by Towhid Hridoy's unbeaten 242, to take a 30-run lead over West Indies who scored 356. Amir Jangoo's 133 was the top score for the Windies.
Is Towhid Hridoy's 242 the highest Test score by a Bangladesh batter?
According to West Indies coach Darren Sammy, the knock is 'the highest Test score by a Bangladeshi.' The innings remained unbeaten at 242 as Bangladesh declared on 386.
What did Darren Sammy say about West Indies' chances in the second innings?
Sammy said the match was 'evenly poised' and expressed confidence, stressing that West Indies needed to survive Bangladesh's new-ball attack early on Day 4 before building a commanding lead. He pointed to batters King and Da Silva to provide a solid start.
What was the West Indies' score at tea on Day 4 of the Sylhet Test?
West Indies reached 259 for 2 at the tea break on Day 4, establishing a lead of 229 runs with four sessions still remaining in the match.
How does the second Test fit into the series context?
West Indies lost the first Test in Dhaka and need a win in the Sylhet second Test to level the series. With a strong second-innings platform already built, the match is well within their reach, though Bangladesh will look to set a challenging target if the game swings back their way.
