Hope: We found it difficult in the middle

DHAKA, Bangladesh (CMC):

West Indies captain Shai Hope was his usual diplomatic self; however, he had a few words following his team’s 74-run defeat in the first ODI against Bangladesh on Saturday, aiming at the challenging playing surface at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

The match was played on a notably dark-coloured pitch, a characteristic in the subcontinent that often indicates a slow, gripping surface tailor-made for spinners.

This theory proved accurate, as slow bowlers dominated the game, accounting for 11 of the 20 wickets to fall.

The chief destroyer was Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain, who ripped through the West Indies batting line-up with career-best figures of 6 for 35.

His performance made him only the second leg-spinner in ODI history to take the opposition’s first five wickets.

Batters struggled

Reflecting on the difficult conditions, Hope admitted his batters struggled to find answers. “We definitely found it difficult in the middle. That’s just reality,” Hope stated. “So we need to take the learnings from this game and find ways as batters to not let them settle. Maybe be a little bit more positive and try to take them off their lengths a bit more.”

The nature of the pitch has raised questions about what to expect for the second ODI, a common tactical consideration in cricket where home teams often leverage local conditions to their advantage.

Hope emphasised the need for his side to be adaptable, regardless of the surface prepared.

“We never know what we’re going to get. You still have to assess and adapt when the bell rings next game. But if we do have something similar, then we’d have an understanding from this first game. So it can play into our minds a little bit better.”

Ultimately, the West Indies skipper stressed a forward-looking approach, urging his team to focus on the game, not the pitch.

“We’ve got to play what we see in front of us and not focus too much on the surface. We’ve just got to put this game behind us and then come a lot stronger for the second one.”