ODI-favoured Bangladesh hoping to finish Caribbean tour on a high

By Brandon Corlette

West Indies have had a great deal of success against the touring Bangladeshis in both the Test and T20I series, winning both 2-0; but the final leg of the Bangladesh tour is the three-match One Day International (ODI) series which starts on Sunday July 19 from 9:30h.

Bangladesh have won five of the six ODI series they played, including a 3-0 win against West Indies in 2020-2021. Numbers do not lie, and the ODI format also suits Bangladesh, who have won the last ODI series played in the Caribbean 2-1.
The members of this Nicholas Pooran-led West Indies side are confident after the T20I series against Bangladesh, but from an ODI perspective, this series will be important, since West Indies are fresh from a whitewash against Pakistan.

Bangladesh star batsman Tamim Iqbal said on Thursday at Providence: “I hope we start well on July 10, and let us see. This is one format that we are comfortable in. By saying that, we know the other team is playing well, so we have to bring our ‘A’ game.”
Bangladesh will be without Shakib Al Hasan for the ODI series. This will certainly be a big loss, but Iqbal has noted that the team is confident. Despite West Indies winning only three of their last ten ODI series, captain Pooran has said the aim is to win the ODI series and trust the process.

“We started the 50-Over with a clean sweep against Netherlands, (but) we lost the next series, so I don’t want to talk too much about it. I am happy that we can beat Bangladesh in this T20 series, and this will give us confidence that we can go into that game (the first ODI), play with belief, trust in the process in what we want to do as a team. Again, we just want to go out there and try and win,” Pooran said after the final T20I.
Kyke Mayers, who has scored his maiden T20I fifty and has dominated Bangladesh bowling in recent years, has said that despite the slow surface at Providence, the ODI format would aid in the Providence wicket playing better.
“When we first started, I thought the wicket was a bit tacky, with the rain around and covers…on it longer than normal, and no sun was present. But as the game went on, the wicket played nice; a bit slow, but in the longer format you will have a bit more time. It seems to be a good deck,” Mayers explained.
The last time West Indies played an ODI at Providence was in 2019, against India, and that match had a no-result. The last completed ODI at Providence was in July 2018 against Bangladesh, which West Indies won by three runs. Son of the soil Shimron Hetmyer had scored a blistering century in that match, and it was a day in which Guyanese were entertained.
The West Indies squad for the One-Day Internationals is as follows: Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Shai Hope (Vice Captain), Shamarh Brooks, Keacy Carty, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Anderson Phillip, Rovman Powell and Jayden Seales.
Reserve: Romario Shepherd