Cricket

Jangoo, Wickham soften blow of Taskin's early strikes

A resilient 131-run partnership between Amir Jangoo and debutant Kevin Wickham rescued the West Indies from a disastrous top-order collapse, taking their side to 180 for 4 at tea against Bangladesh.

The Caribbean side faced a nightmare start to the day even before stepping onto the field, losing both John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul to a viral fever. The late reshuffle forced wicketkeeper-batsman Joshua Da Silva to open the innings for the first time in his Test career.

Bangladesh capitalized on the early disruption. Taskin Ahmed struck in the fifth hour by flattening Brandon King’s middle and leg stumps, before Hasan Mahmud removed Kavem Hodge, who shouldered arms to a delivery that clipped the off bail. Taskin returned to dismiss Da Silva for 12, leaving the West Indies tottering at 27 for 3 on a Sylhet pitch offering early movement.

With the visitors reeling, Jangoo and Wickham joined forces to stage a remarkable recovery. As the initial moisture and movement vanished from the surface, the pair dug in during the second session. Jangoo signaled his intent right after the break by flat-batting Taskin through midwicket for a boundary, while Wickham showcased elegant cover drives and confident pulls.

Jangoo brought aggression into the mix by launching Nayeem Hasan for a massive six over midwicket, cruising past his half-century. Wickham soon followed suit, reaching his maiden Test fifty off 145 balls with a single to deep square leg.

Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz tried various tactical shifts, including heavy on-side fields, while Mahmud spearheaded a sustained short-ball barrage. The pressure nearly paid off when Mahmud dropped Jangoo on 68 off his own bowling after a mishandled pull shot. However, Mahmud finally broke the partnership just before the tea interval, cleaning up Wickham for a well-crafted 61 that included five boundaries.

Unbeaten on 76 with seven fours and a six, Jangoo remained at the crease alongside Justin Greaves, who chipped in with 16 not out. With the West Indies standing at 180 for 4, the final sessions of the match will test whether Jangoo and the lower order can build on this hard-fought foundation.