West Indies go past Bangladesh's lead on the morning of day four

West Indies went past Bangladesh's lead without losing a wicket on the morning of the fourth day of the Sylhet Test. The hosts could not hold on to the 30-run lead they had taken in the first innings. The visitors' two openers kept scoring runs with attacking batting from the start.

The fourth day's play began at 7 for no wicket. In the morning session, Bangladesh's bowlers tried several times but could not break this partnership. At the end of 12 overs, West Indies reached 44 without losing a wicket, giving them a lead of 14 runs.

Batting in the second innings, the two Caribbean openers, Brandon King and Joshua da Silva, have played watchfully from the start. Brandon King is unbeaten on 29 and Joshua da Silva on 14. Their patient batting is slowly pulling control of the match towards West Indies.

Earlier, in reply to West Indies' 356 in the first innings, Bangladesh made 386 runs, taking a 30-run lead. Tawhid Hridoy laid the foundation for that lead with his record-breaking unbeaten innings of 242 runs, which put Bangladesh ahead in the first innings.

But that lead did not last long in the second innings. In the morning session, Bangladesh's bowlers kept trying for wickets, yet the visitors' opening pair stayed unbroken, and runs kept coming regularly off the two openers' bats.

Although Bangladesh did not get a big lead in the first innings, Hridoy's superb batting had created a chance to come back into the match. To keep that chance alive, the bowlers must now take quick wickets. If West Indies cannot be restricted to a low total, control of the match may slip back to the visitors.

For the rest of the fourth day, Bangladesh's bowlers have one job — take quick wickets and wrap up the West Indies innings. The visitors, meanwhile, will want to stretch this partnership further and build a big lead. The fate of the Sylhet Test now depends largely on this contest.