West Indies 98 ahead at lunch in Sylhet, Sadman ruled out of South Africa tour with injury
West Indies are piling pressure on Bangladesh with aggressive batting on the fourth day of the Sylhet Test. They scored 128 runs in the first session alone and went into lunch 98 runs ahead of Bangladesh.
At the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, West Indies resumed the fourth day on 7 runs. Brandon King, unbeaten on 5 overnight, was at the crease with Joshua Silva. The two batters attacked Bangladesh's bowlers from the start.
They added 59 runs in the first hour without losing a wicket, taking the team total to 66 in 18 overs. The visitors had already gone past Bangladesh's first-innings lead.
Silva was then dismissed leg before wicket off Taijul Islam, scoring 36 runs. But losing a wicket did not slow West Indies' scoring rate.
Brandon King brought up the sixth fifty of his Test career with aggressive batting. He scored 61 off 79 balls before being caught by Najmul Hossain Shanto at slip off Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
After King's dismissal, Hodge, who came to the crease, is batting freely. He is unbeaten on 21 off 32 balls, trying to add runs with the new batter at the other end.
At the end of 34 overs, the visitors have scored 128 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. Taijul and Miraz have taken one wicket each for Bangladesh.
Earlier, in reply to West Indies' 356 in the first innings, Bangladesh scored 386 runs. Bangladesh had taken the first-innings lead mainly through Tawhid Hridoy's record-breaking unbeaten innings of 242 runs.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh opener Sadman Islam will not travel to South Africa because of injury. He hurt his ankle on the second day of the second Test against West Indies in Sylhet.
Tests have shown a tear in his ankle muscle, and there is also a fear of a hairline fracture in the bone. A member of the BCB selection panel told the media this.
Bangladesh may have to play the rest of the Sylhet Test against West Indies with one batter short. However, in-form Mymensingh opener Mahfizul Islam Robin could get a chance in Sadman's place in the Test squad for the South Africa tour.
Robin is waiting for a call-up to the Test squad for the South Africa tour. He is currently with the national team in Sylhet and is working closely with the national team's coaches in net practice.
Bangladesh will play two Tests, three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches in South Africa. The team will leave Dhaka on 10 November. The first Test will be held at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg from 15 to 19 November, and the second Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion from 23 to 27 November.
