Bangladesh slip to fifth in Test Championship after 8-wicket loss to West Indies in Mirpur

Bangladesh lost a third consecutive Test match at home to the West Indies. On Saturday in Mirpur, the hosts lost to the Caribbean side by 8 wickets, and the defeat affected their position in the World Test Championship table.

With this loss, Bangladesh dropped from fourth to fifth in the table. Their points percentage fell from 55.56 to 47.62. Bangladesh fell behind India, whose points percentage is 51.52.

Earlier, a historic win in the Darwin Test against Australia had lifted Bangladesh to fourth in the Championship table. Although they lost the second match by an innings margin, it did not have much effect. Bangladesh then played a one-off Test against Afghanistan, but that was not part of the Championship.

The Mirpur defeat has made Bangladesh's equation for reaching the final harder. However, if they beat the West Indies in Sylhet on 5 November, they will have a chance to rise to fourth. A whitewash of South Africa would take them to third.

After this series, Bangladesh's next Test assignment is on South African soil. Bangladesh will play two matches in Johannesburg and Centurion on 15 and 23 November. The last two matches of the current Championship cycle will be at home against England in February.

To reach the final, Bangladesh must win four of these five matches and draw at least one more — that is the equation after the Mirpur loss.

Bangladesh lost a Test at home for the first time after five consecutive home wins. Before this, they had beaten Zimbabwe, Ireland and Pakistan. The hosts could not dominate the West Indies in any department.

Due to a batting failure in the second innings, Bangladesh could set the West Indies a target of only 170 runs, which the Caribbean side reached in 35.1 overs losing 2 wickets.