Bangladesh Want a 200 Target in Mirpur Test, West Indies Confident Even at 150

Bangladesh are under pressure in the Mirpur Test after a batting failure. At the end of the third day, the hosts were 79 for six in their second innings, a lead of 106 runs overall, with only four wickets in hand. Bangladesh want to take the lead to 200 in the end, while the West Indies aim to bowl the hosts out quickly and keep the target below 150.

The third day's play at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur ended with the bowlers on top. Bangladesh had earned a 27-run lead by holding the West Indies to 245 in the first innings, an advantage gained through Naim Hasan's fine bowling performance.

But batting in the second innings, Nazmul Hossain Shanto's team struggled from the start, losing six wickets for just 53 runs. Jaker Ali and Naim Hasan then took Bangladesh to the close with an unbroken partnership, both unbeaten on 18. The responsibility of extending the lead on the fourth day now rests on these two batters.

At the press conference after the day's play, Naim Hasan said setting a target of 200 was their plan. He said: 'We will try to give as many runs as possible. Jaker bhai and I are batting now. If we can play for a long time, God willing, the more runs we can give, the better for us. Two hundred runs would be very good. We will try for even more.'

Against Bangladesh's plan, the West Indies want to end the innings quickly. At the press conference, visiting assistant coach Floyd Reifer said the first hour of the fourth day could be the important time of the match, and that breaking the Jaker-Naim partnership would make their task much easier.

Reifer said: 'Their score is now 79 for six. Our main goal tomorrow morning will be to take the remaining wickets quickly. If the target is around 125, chasing it on this wicket is very possible for us.'

The West Indies assistant coach is confident even if the target is 150 or 175. He said: 'On such a wicket we are capable of chasing 150 or even 175. The boys are batting really well on this pitch. It can be seen that we play spin comparatively well. We have worked a lot on batting against spin.' He said they had emphasised rotating the strike, defence and ways of scoring against spin, and that whatever target is set tomorrow, they are fully prepared to chase it down and win.