WI vs Bangladesh: ODI Series, Game 3 of 3: West Indies looking for consolation win today

…Bangladesh looking to test bench strength

By Brandon Corlette

Nicholas Pooran and his West Indies side will be aiming to chalk up a consolation win in their final One Day International (ODI) match at Providence today, Saturday July 16. Bangladesh, on the other hand, will be aiming for a clean sweep of this series, and to register 11 wins in a row against West Indies in the ODI format.

On the eve of this final ODI match, West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran said: “We discussed about batting 50 overs. Regardless of batting first or batting second, you have to find that way. Again, in the ODI setup, we are a new team, a group of young guys trying to figure out how we want to play this cricket.

“We need to assess conditions better, and decide what shots we are going to play on that wicket. We have not gotten the answer yet, so we are looking forward to the game, try and assess as fast as possible on how we are going about to bat on that wicket. Yes, we have to improvise, and we are looking forward to tomorrow’s game.”

Asked about changes, Pooran hinted there is a possibility of some other guys playing, but the aim, he said, is to win.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has said that Bangladesh will be looking to test their bench strength. “The most important thing is to test our bench strength. We don’t do it often in the Bangladesh team. I think it is completely fine for me to miss a match. If we don’t test our bench strength now, then when will we do it?”
Bangladesh was precise in their planning and execution in the two games thus far. Skipper Tamim won both tosses and put West Indies in, after which his bowlers piled on the pressure by bowling a large number of dot balls in the first 20 overs.
It forced the West Indies batters into playing big shots in the middle overs, and Bangladesh caught most of their chances, thereby restricting the hosts to low totals.
While the Tigers allowed a late flurry of runs in the first game, Bangladesh shut down West Indies for 108 in 35 overs in the second ODI.
Bangladesh’s bowlers have been clinical in the series thus far: Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nasum Ahmed led the attack with superb spells of spin bowling, while Shoriful Islam took a four-wicket haul in the first game.
West Indies (probable XI): 1 Kyle Mayers, 2 Shai Hope, 3 Shamarh Brooks, 4 Brandon King, 5 Nicholas Pooran (capt & wk), 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Akeal Hosein, 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Romario Shepherd, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh Motie.
Bangladesh Captain Tamim Iqbal has said Bangladesh would look to give the players on their bench some game time, so Taskin Ahmed, Anamul Haque and Ebadot Hossain are likely to get their chances.
Bangladesh (probable XI): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Litton Das, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Afif Hossain, 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Mosaddek Hossain, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Ebadot Hossain