File Photo

DHAKA, Dec 19, 2024 (BSS)-In a bid to sweep the three-match T20 International series, Bangladesh will take on West Indies in the third and tour-ending game tomorrow (Friday) at Arnos Vale in Kingstown, St Vincent.

The match starts at 6 AM (Bangladesh Time).

Bangladesh had already confirmed the series by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead following their seven-run and 27 runs victory in the first two matches.

The visitors came into the series low on confidence after being whitewashed in the three-match ODI series, a format which was always their strongest zone. While little gave them chance to make a turnaround, they turned the tide in emphatic fashion to clinch the series against a team, which won the T20 World Cup twice.

The third T20 will mark the end of Bangladesh's long tour in Caribbean Island.

The visitors now are high on confidence to not only sweep the series but also end the tour with a winning note as.

Earlier, the tour began with a two-match Test series which ended in a 1-1 draw following Bangladesh's victory in the second Test, a win which was their first on West Indies soil in the longer version since 2009.

Unlike the ODI series, the T20 was played on slow wicket but Bangladesh in fact had to grind it out for a victory. In both matches, Shamim Patwari, who made a comeback to the national fold after one year, played two crucial knocks to help the Tigers win the series.

"I always think that however situation the team is in, if I play well, we'll reach a decent total. I always have the positive thinking," Patwari said.
 
"Happy that I could play well, my family and the country are happy too. We won T20 series in West Indies and that's a huge achievement," he further said, adding that now they are eying to end the series with winning note.

Bangladesh, however, received a blow in the second T20 when Soumya Sarkar was sidelined with finger injury. Soumya who has recently been in superb form, was ruled out of the final match, meaning Bangladesh would have to bring chances in the winning XI.

After losing the series, West Indies have much to rethink about their strategy on slow wicket. In ODI they got a batting favourable wicket and their power-hitters went gung-ho to cut through Bangladesh bowling in surgical fashion.

As Bangladesh bowlers knew how to utilize the slow wicket properly, the West Indies would have to come with some answers if they want to avoid the series sweep.

"Disappointing, as a batting group we have let down ourselves miserably in the last few series. We have to reflect on things individually and then look at it collectively. The bowlers did well but as a batting group we have not come to the party and we are struggling to put in a complete game," West Indies captain Rovman Powell said.

Bangladesh are now with a chance to reduce win-loss ratio against West Indies despite being vulnerable in this format. Of the 17 meetings between the two sides, Bangladesh won seven and lost nine while two ended with no-result.

Squad:

Bangladesh: Liton Das (Captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali Anik, Shamim Hossain Patwari, Sheikh Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud, Ripon Mondol, Nahid Rana
 
West Indies: Rovman Powell (c), Brandon King (vc), Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Terrance Hinds, Akeal Hosein (first two matches only), Jayden Seales (third match only), Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer