Why Did West Indies Struggle in the ODI Series Against Bangladesh?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- West Indies struggled in bowling and fielding during the series.
- Bangladesh's spinners dominated, taking 27 wickets.
- Shai Hope showed consistent performance as captain.
- Akeal Hosein made a successful return to the ODI squad.
- Importance of home advantage in cricket highlighted.
Dhaka, Oct 24 (NationPress) West Indies head coach Daren Sammy voiced his dissatisfaction following his team's 2-1 ODI series defeat against Bangladesh, acknowledging that the visitors fell short in all areas despite some remarkable individual performances.
The spinners from Bangladesh significantly outperformed their West Indian rivals, taking 27 wickets at an average of 14.66 with an economy rate of 3.80. Conversely, the West Indies spin attack could only secure 18 wickets at an average of 30.05 and an economy rate of 4.39. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and all-rounder Roston Chase failed to make a significant impact, while even part-timer Alick Athanaze outperformed both in the second ODI.
Reflecting on the series, Sammy praised captain Shai Hope for his consistency and leadership but criticized the overall execution of the team, especially in the bowling department.
"(The positive in the ODI series was) probably the batting of Shai Hope - how he continues to put the team on his back every time he faces a challenge," Sammy remarked. "He is a leader. He puts the team on his back, but I am really disappointed in the way we bowled. You come to Bangladesh and you know spinners should be licking their lips. That's the area where you will get to execute your plans and in the most favorable conditions for you. What we displayed over the last three games was very poor, not consistent enough."
Despite the spin-friendly conditions in Dhaka, Sammy offered no excuses for the defeat and acknowledged Bangladesh's right to leverage their home advantage.
"I will tell you this, I always want to ask for home advantage. I can't tell the Bangladesh team or the authorities what wicket to prepare. I focus on my team having the skillset to counteract whatever comes when they are playing away.
"This series was very important for both teams. You are supposed to do what you have to do to win at home. That's the most important thing. Whether that affects your development going outside of Bangladesh, that's on them. I just thought my players just didn't play well throughout the series."
The former West Indies captain also expressed regret over his team’s sloppy fielding, noting the dropped catches that proved detrimental in tight situations. "We were poor in all three disciplines," Sammy said. "I think we dropped six catches. Two didn't go to hand and one was too wide. We were poor in all the departments today."
Nonetheless, there was a silver lining for the visitors - the impressive comeback of Akeal Hosein, who made a significant impact after a two-year hiatus from the ODI squad. Hosein claimed six wickets in two matches at an average of 13.66 and an economy rate of 4.10.
"Massive kudos to Akeal in the manner in which he came up," Sammy noted. "In a team where you have three left-arm spinners and a guy who's been out for the last two years coming in and outshine them, yes, there's a place for competition.
"That's what you want in a team. You don't want to select guys because they have nobody else to replace them. You want to select guys because they have competition, and what Akeal did in this series is definitely going to challenge some of the guys who've been there."