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Welcome to Wisden’s match blog for the live coverage of the West Indies v Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2021 game in Sharjah– follow this space for live updates, including commentary and score, along with where to watch details: TV channels, broadcast and live streaming for WI vs Ban.

WI v Ban: Live Scorecard, stats and predictions    

Right. That will be that from us for this game. The action, though, doesn’t stop as Afghanistan, who have chosen to bat after winning the toss, clash against Pakistan at Dubai. Head over to our coverage of that game as I take your leave! Goodbye, stay safe!

West Indies live to tell another tale; Bangladesh all but eliminated from the T20 World Cup

Phew! That was some game, wasn’t it? It ebbed and flowed throughout and all three results seemed possible before the last ball was bowled. Ultimately, West Indies’ T20 superstars came to the fore and put the brakes on what had been an encouraging run-chase by Bangladesh. Bravo, in particular, redeemed himself after a sub-standard start to the game, whereas Russell reminded the world that he remains a match-winning all-rounder. Holder was also tidy throughout and was ably supported by Rampaul. With the bat, though, there are still concerns, although the West Indies would hope that this victory changes the mood in the camp and catapults them to greater heights.

As for Bangladesh, their inability to handle pressure towards the end came to the fore again. They looked good when they required 33 off the last four overs. However, they only managed 29 runs post it. Mahmudullah tried to bring out the big hits but just couldn’t middle it when Bangladesh needed them most. Liton was also decent throughout his vigil, although he would be kicking himself having gotten dismissed when he did. It was a much more promising display from Bangladesh but also littered with mistakes that eventually might have cost them the game. Remember, they accorded Pooran a life very early and in the end, it was the wicket-keeper’s knock that proved to be the difference.

Over 20: Bangladesh 139-5 – West Indies hold their nerve

Russell continues going for the yorker and nails it to absolute perfection on the fifth and sixth ball of the over. In fact, had Holder not misfielded on the penultimate delivery, West Indies would have been breathing a lot easier. Nevertheless, a superb stifling effort by West Indies in the final five overs and the defending champions have finally come to the party. Will their T20 World Cup fortunes change henceforth? Only time will tell!

Update: Fletcher misjudges another catch in the deep and lets Mahmudullah off the hook. The batter gets a couple as well, meaning that Bangladesh now need 6 runs off the final 2 balls. One hit will seal it now!

Over 19.3 Bangladesh 135-5 – Bangladesh need 8 off 3 balls now

Russell has bowled well so far and has not given away any boundary balls. Bangladesh now need 8 off the final three but have Mahmudullah on strike. Can the skipper produce something special?

Update: The most runs Bangladesh have made in the final over of a winning T20I run-chase is 12. They need 13 to win today and 12 to tie!

Over 19: Bangladesh 130-5 – Bravo gets Liton; Bangladesh need 13 off 6 balls

Bravo bowled a couple of slot balls in that over but was lucky to fetch a wicket off the final delivery. More importantly, he has gotten rid of Liton and now Bangladesh might start feeling the pinch. They might still fancy their chances against Russell but this could be anyone’s game now. Afif is the new batter at the crease and he will be on strike too!

Over 18: Bangladesh 121-4 – Game still on a knife-edge

Despite the boundary off the first ball, Rampaul did well to hold his own and stick to his variations. Bangladesh would be slightly disappointed that they didn’t make that over count. Bravo and Russell are going to bowl the final two overs, with the West Indies hoping that the former can weave some more magic and tilt the game their way.

Over 17: Bangladesh 113-4 – Bravo applies the brakes

Bangladesh made merry in the 16th over and got the equation down to 33 runs off 24 balls. Bravo, though, shows his experience in the 17th over and brings West Indies back into the game. Bangladesh now require 30 runs off the final three overs, with Bravo, Rampaul and Russell slated to bowl an over apiece. You would still want to be in the Bangladesh camp at this juncture, though.

Over 15: Bangladesh 99-4 – West Indies squeezing the game

The last two overs have not fetched a lot of runs and it has meant that the required run rate is hovering around the 8.75-run mark. Bangladesh would want to do the heavy lifting soon and not leave it too late. Similarly, West Indies would want to break through now to put more pressure on the batters. Something could give in the next two overs!

Over 13.3: Bangladesh 90-4 – Rampaul keeps West Indies in the hunt

Just as Mushfiqur was threatening to take the game away from the West Indies, Rampaul snaps him up with an off-pace delivery. The wicket-keeper was perhaps a too ambitious with his attempted scoop shot but can’t do much now. Bangladesh keeping the door slightly open for the West Indies. The latter needs to ensure that they make the most of this opening.

Over 13: Bangladesh 86-3 – Bangladesh edging ahead

Bangladesh have been helped by a glut of boundaries and it has allowed them to nudge ahead in the contest. They only require 57 runs off the last seven overs and that shouldn’t cause more than a furrowed brow, considering Liton is looking good at the crease and Mushfiqur has largely been untroubled during his vigil. West Indies need a wicket and they need it quickly.

Over 10.4: Bangladesh 60-3 – Hosein keeps West Indies slightly ahead

Sarkar was beginning to get into his groove and his wicket has nudged the West Indies slightly ahead. Hosein has been very economical so far and has reaped the rewards for the pressure he has created. It remains difficult to hack across the line on this surface and Sarkar has found that out the hard way now. West Indies would ideally want another wicket from the 8 balls that remain in Hosein’s spell.

Over 10: Bangladesh 55-2 – Liton and Sarkar keep Tigers ticking

In the few overs, the Bangladesh batters have put together a few boundaries and that, coupled with the singles they’ve taken has kept the scoreboard ticking. The Tigers would hope for more of the same till about the 15th over and realistically look at a target of 40-45 runs in the last five overs. We will wait and see if that happens!

Update: Right. Dwayne Bravo is into the attack now. Massive moment in the game. He has usually been the West Indies’ bankable bowler and has a track that he will relish. Can he turn back the clock today?

Over 8: Bangladesh 43-2 – Sarkar injects impetus

Sarkar, who hasn’t been in the scheme of things lately, is proving why he remains a viable alternative for Bangladesh. He hasn’t scored a lot so far but seems to be timing the ball a lot better than some of his peers. At the moment, it seems that he could shape how this run chase turns out for Bangladesh, considering that he also has a left-arm spinner to line up.

Update: Spin into the attack now. Akeal Hosein gets a bowl and it would be interesting to see how much purchase he gets. He usually bowls wicket-to-wicket and that could be key today.

Over 5.4: Bangladesh 29-2 – Holder gets Naim

Holder has been chipping away throughout his spell and he finally has something to show for it. Another delivery that holds in the surface and forces the batter to play early, resulting in a chop on to the stumps. West Indies have been very miserly in the Power Play and Bangladesh are now under a bit of strife. They need a partnership to keep things ticking and to stop the West Indies from establishing a position of ascendancy.

Over 4.3 Bangladesh 21-1 – Russell breaks open the game

Russell, who was run out without facing a ball, has finally made an impact today. He deceives Shakib with a slower delivery and it has left the door ajar for the West Indies to barge through. The required run rate is gradually increasing and the wicket of Shakib will put further pressure on a batting unit that hasn’t been at its best at the 2021 T20 World Cup.

Update: 4.2 – Hayden Walsh Jr. drops a sitter at short mid wicket. Naim couldn’t get on top of the bounce and Russell has been denied a wicket. Bangladesh spurned a few chances and were made to pay. Will West Indies endure a similar fate?

Over 4: Bangladesh 20-0 – West Indies keep the scoring rate in check

The West Indian bowlers haven’t looked penetrative but they also have not allowed the Bangladesh batters to get away. They have been accurate with their plans and with the required run rate nudging 7.6 runs per over, it could even force the Tigers into taking some risks – risks that would open up a wicket-taking avenue too.

Over 2: Bangladesh 10-0 – Holder keeps things tight too

Holder has been brilliant in the Power Play in 2021 and has started off on a similar note today. In 2021, his economy rate in the first six overs is only 7.09. Rampaul, meanwhile, has an economy rate of 7.29. Tidy numbers, considering some of the pitches both have played on in the Caribbean Premier League.

Over 1: Bangladesh 4-0 – Tidy start by Rampaul

Much like the Bangladesh pacers, Rampaul stuck to a tight line and length. This could be the brief moving forward too, considering there is not a lot of bounce and pace on offer. Bangladesh have not thrown their bats at anything but that could be about to change with them knowing the importance of the Power Play.

Pooran, as expected, leads out his troops onto the field. Shakib Al Hasan is out there opening alongside Mohammad Naim Sheikh. Interesting! Could this be a ploy to ask Shakib to just swing for the fences from the start? This, by the way, is the first time Shakib is opening in T20I cricket!

Before the game, the freshness of the pitch indicated that run-scoring might not be an issue. However, as the overs progressed, it became increasingly clear that stroke-making wasn’t going to be the norm. For large swathes of the first innings, the West Indies huffed and puffed. Their openers, Gayle and Lewis struggled, while Chase failed to get into a rhythm throughout his innings. Hetmyer too, looked off the boil, with Pollard taking ill mid-way through his knock. Towards the end, though, Pooran came to grips with the track and produced a sensational assault. Holder also got into the act in the final over and their cameos have ensured that the West Indies have a competitive total on the board.

From Bangladesh’s perspective, they would be gutted that they grassed so many opportunities, including a missed stumping of Pooran. The left-handed batter made the Tigers pay and they now have to craft together a tricky run-chase. As always, a lot will rest on how Shakib performs. Remember, he seems to be nursing a niggle and might not be at full fitness. Mushfiqur could also be a key player on this surface and it would be intriguing to see how the pair handles the threat of Bravo, Holder and Rampaul. Stick around for the second innings, folks. We will be back in a bit!

Over 20: West Indies 142-7 – Holder and Pollard power West Indies to 142

Pollard, despite not being at the peak of his physical health, has managed to club a six off the final ball. That, coupled with the brace of sixes by Holder earlier in the over has allowed the West Indies to breach the 140-run barrier. They now have a total they can defend, especially if they bowl well. And, more importantly, they have generated a bit of momentum towards the end – momentum that can come in handy in the second innings.

Update: Hello Kieron Pollard. The West Indian skipper, who walked off earlier due to illness has now returned to the fold. He does not have too many balls to make an impact though.

Over 19: West Indies 123-6 – West Indies inch closer to 130

The dismissals of Chase and Pooran have pegged the West Indies back. They are trundling along now and a score of 135 would seem an accomplishment from here. That, though might not be enough, considering Bangladesh are accustomed to batting on such surfaces. But it will at least give West Indies something to play with.

Over 18.2 West Indies 119-6 – Two in two for Shoriful; Chase can’t make merry

Shoriful is on a roll here and he has now accounted for Chase. The hard lengths have worked brilliantly for him today and it has the beating of Chase too. Two new batters are at the crease now, with Shoriful also on a hat-trick. This has already been a roller-coaster ride!

Over 18.1: West Indies 119-5 – Pooran perishes

Pooran looked to go for the jugular but failed in his pursuit, with Shoriful exploiting the longer off-side boundary to perfection. The onus now falls on Chase to provide the flourish West Indies are looking for. Remember, he will be hitting to the shorter boundary (to the leg side) in the final over.

Over 18: West Indies 119-4 – Pooran continues murdering spin

Pooran has historically been a plunderer of spin bowling and has a strike rate of 140.29. Thus, it has come as a bit of surprise that Bangladesh have bowled so much spin in the past three overs. Pooran, in fact, has quite enjoyed it and has now hit four sixes – sixes that have injected a bit of impetus into the West Indian innings. If they get 25-30 runs in the two overs that remain, they could be in with a decent shout.

Over 16: West Indies 99-4 – Pooran turns on the style

Bowling Shakib against Pooran was always going to be a gamble and it backfired spectacularly. Pooran has, through his career, struck at more than 155 against left-arm spin and there was ample evidence of that in the 16th over. With two sixes in the bag, he would hope to make more merry at the death. Bangladesh under a bit of pressure now.

Over 15: West Indies 84-4 – Chase and Pooran break the shackles

Boundaries have been at a premium so far but Chase and Pooran fetched themselves one boundary apiece in the 15th over. They have now set themselves up for a big finish and West Indies would hope that they can propel the score to one in excess of 140. Remember, this is a very sluggish surface and that could be a competitive total.

Update: Over 13.2 – Mahedi drops an absolute soda at deep mid wicket to hand Roston Chase another life. This is the second time he has done so today and this could have a bearing on where the West Indies end up. Bangladesh would hope it does not prove too costly.

Over 12.4 West Indies 62-4 – Russell comes, Russell goes

Russell had barely tightened his gloves and he is now on his way back to the pavilion. Chase drove it back to the bowler, who got the slightest touch to deflect the ball onto the stumps at the bowling end. Russell departs without having faced a ball and the West Indies are in disarray now.

Over 12.3: West Indies 62-3 – Pollard is walking back to the dressing room

Pollard has not been dismissed but he has walked back to the dressing room, with the scorecard suggesting that he has retired hurt. There were no visible signs that he had tweaked a muscle. Could it be because of the heat? He looked uncharacteristically sluggish with the bat today.

Over 11: West Indies 56-3 – Chase finds a much-needed boundary

The ball is just not coming onto the bat, with Mustafizur utilizing his cutters efficiently. Chase, though, got a boundary away on the final ball and the West Indies would hope that this translates into a succession of boundaries. The West Indies need 140 to be competitive but that too is quite a distance away at the moment.

Update: Shakib is looking in a lot of discomfort while bowling the 10th over. He has soldiered on so far but it might not be long before he hobbles off for some more treatment. This is not a good sign for Bangladesh. He is such a vital cog in the Bangladesh wheel. The West Indies are 48-3 after 10 overs!

Over 8: West Indies 39-3 – Pollard promotes himself

Pollard has promoted himself today and it could be a sign that the captain wants to grab the bull by the horns. In fact, in the middle overs since 2020, Pollard strikes at 132..97, which is a significant upgrade from the other options they have. This will also allow Pollard to gauge the conditions before potentially teeing off at the death.

Over 6.4: West Indies 32-3 – Mahedi gets another

Mahedi is making the most of the match-up against the left-handed batters. This time, he accounts for Hetymer after deceiving the batter in flight and forcing him to toe end his lofted shot down long off’s throat. West Indies are in a huge spot of bother now and are now looking up to their middle order enforces to make something of this do-or-die clash. Shakib, by the way, is back on the field and seems to be moving okay.

Over 6: West Indies 29-2 – Bangladesh tightening the screws

Bangladesh have enjoyed an excellent Power Play and they haven’t allowed the West Indies to generate any kind of momentum. The ball is not bouncing much, meaning that run-scoring in the middle overs could be even more tedious. Can Chase and Hetmyer – two of West Indies’ better players against spin, turn on the style?

A lot depends on Roston Chase now. He has been the batter in form over the past couple of months and he would like the fact that he has come to bat in the Power Play. Throughout his T20 career, he has struck at a rate of 145 runs per 100 balls against pace, with the strike rate dipping to around 115 against spin. His recent exploits, though, suggest that he has developed his game against spin and could be key for the West Indies today. By the way, he is on T20I debut too.

Over 4.2 West Indies 18-2 – Mahedi sends Gayle packing

Gayle has been itching to impose himself on the game but perishes in his endeavour. Mahedi does just enough to entice Gayle into a stroke that wasn’t very feasible and West Indies are in trouble in the Power Play, again. This time, they have a deeper batting line-up but they would want at least one of their batters to stand up and live up to their reputation today.

Update: Shakib has hobbled off the field and that could be a concern for Bangladesh. On first look, it seems to be a lower leg injury.

Over 3: West Indies 12-1 – Mustafizur gets Lewis

The pressure had been building and Lewis finally succumbs to it. The ball might have held in the surface – something that caused Lewis to miscue his attempted pull stroke and something that could become a feature moving forward. However, this is a massive wicket for Bangladesh, considering Lewis has been striking at more than 159 in the Power Play this year. All eyes now on the Universe Boss.

Update: Massive chance goes begging for Bangladesh on the first ball of the third over. Gayle pushed the ball into the off side and hared down the track, only for Lewis to send him back. Shakib lets him off the hook though. How costly could this be?

Over 2: West Indies 9-0 – Lewis lands the first blow

For the first five balls of the over, Taskin kept things tight. Lewis, though, signaled his intentions towards the end and that could be the sign of things to come. Both batters have now had a few balls to get their eye in and with West Indies batting exceptionally deep today, they might just look to increase the tempo henceforth. Will be interesting to see how Gayle and Lewis handle the off-spin match-up though.

Over 1: West Indies 4-0 – Quiet start for the West Indies

As has been the norm lately, the West Indies begin sedately. Gayle and Lewis have had their fair share of problems against off-spin and that might have led them to be circumspect. However, they also need to be careful of the scoring rate. Usually, the Power Play is the best time to bat at Sharjah and in general in the UAE. So far in the tournament, though, West Indies have hardly optimized the field restrictions.

Update: Chris Gayle, after a long wait, is finally coming out to open the batting alongside Evin Lewis. For quite a few people, this decision seemed set in stone but the West Indians had kept it in the deep freeze before today. Gayle, in particular, might enjoy pace on the ball, considering he is striking at 130.2 this year against pace, as opposed to his strike rate of 122.42 against spin.

The teams are walking out to the middle for their respective national anthems. Bangladesh have quite a few fans at the stadium and that could help lift the spirits of a side that has been struggling so far at the tournament.

Bangladesh win the toss and field first; Jason Holder included by the West Indies

This is the first time Bangladesh are bowling first in the Super 12 stage and they have history backing their decision too. Mahmudullah feels that West Indies’ deep batting unit is one of the reasons for opting to bowl first. To an extent, it could be justified but it also adds pressure on an already under-fire batting line-up. For the West Indies, this is a chance to flex their batting muscles and put a total that is well beyond the Tigers’ reach.

Bangladesh XI: Liton Das, Mohammad Naim Sheikh, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah (C), Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman

West Indies XI: Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard (C), Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Ravi Rampaul

Pitch Report

The pitch is a fresh one and is to a side of the square, meaning that there is a shorter boundary. The spinners might look to bowl at the stumps as much as possible to take the ground dimensions out of play. Only one team (Afghanistan) has won batting first at Sharjah so far this T20 World Cup, meaning that both captains might want to field first if they were to win the toss.

Bangladesh and West Indies resume their T20I rivalry after a long wait

Interestingly enough, Bangladesh and West Indies haven’t played a T20I against each other since December 2018. The last five games between the pair has seen Bangladesh emerge victorious thrice, with West Indies winning twice. As far as history is concerned, the Tigers defeated the Caribbean outfit in the inaugural edition to send the latter packing. They have only met once since, with that game taking place at Dhaka in 2014 – an encounter where Dwayne Smith bludgeoned Bangladesh into submission. For teams that have played a lot of T20I cricket since 2007, it is remarkable that they’ve not pitted their wits against each other as often on the biggest stage. Could that mean we have an all-time classic on our hands today?

A do-or-die clash at Sharjah

Prior to the tournament, not many had expected the West Indies to find themselves in such a predicament. On paper, their squad is glittered with an array of T20 superstars with each capable of single-handedly winning a game of cricket. Yet, nothing of the sort has transpired so far, meaning that the Caribbean outfit is languishing at the bottom of the Group 1 table. Along the way, they’ve not helped himself, courtesy of their margins of defeat. However, the West Indies, deep inside, would know that they are better than this and to an extent, might want to remind the world that they remain capable of defending their crown. While their qualification hopes hang by the proverbial thread, they at least have something to cling on to. Remember, they didn’t win their opening two fixtures (one loss and one NR) the first time they won the T20 World Cup (in 2012) as well. And, if any team can flick a switch and come out all guns blazing, it is this West Indian outfit.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, have also been very sluggish at the T20 World Cup so far. They lost their opening game to Scotland and though the batting unit recovered to post victories against Papua New Guinea and Oman, they don’t seem to instill as much fear as they’ve done previously. Their batting seems to revolve around their three stalwarts – Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan. That, in essence, isn’t a crime, considering what each has accomplished. However, the Tigers would want more from their next-gen superstars, especially when it comes to handling pressure situations. Their bowling also seems a little lost and while their spinners might enjoy the surface on offer at Sharjah, they would know that a misstep could potentially lead to a West Indian pounding and more importantly, elimination from the T20 World Cup.

Join us for the live coverage of the T20 WC Group 1 encounter between West Indies and Bangladesh. Both sides are winless in the Super 12s stage so far.

T20 World Cup 2021 West Indies v Bangladesh: Preview

Match time: 2pm local time

Date: October 29, 2021

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah

Bangladesh are only slightly better in terms of net run rate at -1.655, whereas West Indies are at -2.55

West Indies – Team news and predicted XI

Injury update: After losing Fabian Allen right before the tournament, West Indies have suffered another blow in the form of Obed McCoy. The left-arm fast bowler was sidelined due to a right leg injury. He will be replaced by Jason Holder.

Predicted playing XI: Evin Lewis, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Kieron Pollard (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Jason Holder, Hayden Walsh, Akeal Hosein

Bangladesh – Team news and predicted XI

Injury update: Rubel Hossain replaced Saifuddin in the Bangladesh squad on October 26, and at present, they don’t have any active injury concerns apart from Nurul Hasan, who is a slight doubt after getting struck in the nets by Taskin Ahmed. If he were to miss out, Liton Das would keep wickets.

Predicted playing XI: Liton Das, Mohammad Naim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (c), Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam

T20 World Cup 2021 West Indies v Bangladesh: Where to watch live

India: Star Sports Network: Star Sports 1 (and HD), Star Sports 2 (and HD), Star Sports 1 Hindi (and HD), Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu and Star Sports 1 Kannada

Start time 3.30 pm IST

UK & Ireland: Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Mix; Sky Sports app, www.skysports.com

Start time 11 am BST (British Summer Time)

West Indies: ESPN

Start time 5 am EST

Bangladesh: GTV, T-Sports & BTV; Rabbithole, Bioscope, MyGP

Start time 4 pm BST (Bangladesh Standard Time)

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