West Indies head coach Darren Sammy praised Bangladesh’s performance after his team’s heavy defeat in the third and deciding One Day International in Mirpur, where the hosts clinched the series 2–1 with a commanding 179-run win.
Bangladesh posted 296 runs after winning the toss at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, with openers Saif Hassan and Soumya Sarkar putting on a 176-run partnership. In reply, the West Indies were bowled out for just 117 as Bangladesh’s spinners dominated once again.
Speaking after the match, Sammy refused to blame the Mirpur pitch, which had been a topic of discussion throughout the series. “Yes, the wicket was new for us,” Sammy said. “But it is not as if one team played on one pitch and the other on another. We all had to play on the same surface. That is where skill comes in. Bangladesh played better than us in all three departments. In the first match, they understood what a par score was, kept wickets in hand, and scored at seven an over in the last ten to go past 200. We needed better skills to perform well on such wickets.”
Sammy was also positive about the concept of home advantage. “I am always in favour of home advantage,” he said. “I do not know how Bangladesh prepared the wicket, but I would like to make sure my team has enough skill to perform well on any surface. This series was important for both teams. Even though we were playing away, we wanted to do well. I am not against home advantage. Our players simply did not play well throughout the series, and that is why we lost.”
Reflecting on his decision to use only spin bowling for the full 50 overs in the second ODI, Sammy said it was an easy call to make. “It was not a tough decision at all. You build your team based on the conditions, and that is what we did. When a part-time bowler delivers the most economical spell, you know you made the right call. It was a decision based on conditions. It even made history, and we won that match. You have to play according to the situation. But I can guarantee it will not be the same in New Zealand.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming T20 series in Chattogram, Sammy expressed optimism about the venue. “From my experience, I can say that the best wicket in Bangladesh is there,” he said. “I have not seen it yet, but once we practise there, we will understand how it compares with Dhaka. Last December, we won the ODI series 3–0, and Bangladesh won the T20 series 3–0. Hopefully, we can repeat that in our favour this time.”
The three-match T20 series between Bangladesh and the West Indies will be played in Chattogram on 27, 29 and 31 October.
