‘Never thought we would lose’

Even if you are a Bangladeshi fan, you have to admire Kyle Mayers creating history with an epic uneaten 210 on his Test debut to help the West Indies stun the hosts and chase down a record 395-run target on the fifth and final day in Chattogram yesterday.

Bangladesh were one the receiving end of the most exciting chases in Test history and even Test skipper Mominul Haque had no explanation about what turned out to be one of the shocking results in their history.

"Yes, it's unbelievable. But cricket is a game of a round ball. Round. Cricket is a game of great uncertainty, but I never expected this would happen. I think the bowlers were unable to bowl in the right areas. Both [Kyle Mayers and Nkrumah Bonner] batted really well," said a dejected Mominul.

Needing 285 runs with seven wickets in hand, the two West Indies debutants put on a record 216-run fourth-wicket stand in the fourth innings, leaving Bangladesh without a single wicket across the first two sessions of the final day. "I never thought of losing the game at any point in time. We dominated the past four days and we lost the game at the very last moment today (Sunday). I never imagined we would lose the game in the end," Mominul added.

Mominul admitted that Shakib Al Hasan's presence could have made a difference after the ace all-rounder was forced to witness the disastrous defeat from the sidelines due to a thigh injury. "The bowling would have been more disciplined if Shakib bhai was on the field because he is a senior bowler. And as a batsman he could have guided us. We missed his presence, especially in the bowling department," he said.

A lot was expected of the pitch at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, but it did not favour the hosts' spinners, remaining on the slower side throughout the five days. After Mehedi Hasan Miraz picked up three early wickets on the fourth day, the Bangladeshi spinners, featuring Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan, were unable to bowl in the right areas consistently. Meanwhile, lone pacer Mustafizur Rahman struggled to provide a breakthrough.

"There was enough on the pitch but we were unable to utilise opportunities. Both the batsmen ((Mayers and Bonner) gave us opportunities and if we could have grabbed them then the momentum would have shifted. It's difficult to dismiss a batsman once he is set at the crease," Mominul added.