Mirpur, October 18, 2025 – Bangladesh started their home One-Day International (ODI) series against West Indies with an impressive win, thanks to a stunning six-wicket haul from spinner Rishad Hossain. The hosts triumphed in the first ODI at Mirpur on Saturday, defending a modest total with remarkable bowling discipline.
After posting just 207 runs in their innings, Bangladesh’s bowlers staged a strong comeback. Rishad Hossain turned the match around with his career-best figures of 6 for 35, dismantling the West Indies batting lineup. Supporting him, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tanvir Islam picked one wicket each, while Mustafizur Rahman cleaned up the tail with two crucial wickets.
Despite a promising start by the West Indian openers, their innings collapsed once Rishad was introduced into the attack. The visitors failed to chase what initially appeared to be an under-par total. Earlier, Khary Pierre had starred for West Indies with the ball, conceding only 19 runs and taking one wicket to restrict Bangladesh’s batting lineup.
Speaking after the match, Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz praised his team’s effort, saying, “We believe in ourselves, and the boys played really well today. We haven’t had many ODI series lately, but this performance shows we’re improving.” He highlighted the solid middle-order contributions from Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, and debutant Mahidul Islam Ankon, crediting them for showing composure under pressure.
Meanwhile, West Indies skipper Shai Hope admitted that batting conditions were tough but remained optimistic about a comeback. “It was challenging to bat here, but we’ll learn from this game and return stronger. Our openers gave us a good start, but we lost momentum after that,” Hope said.
Rishad Hossain was rightfully named Player of the Match for his exceptional bowling display that turned the tide in Bangladesh’s favor.
Bangladesh’s victory gives them a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series, providing a strong morale boost after their recent series loss to Afghanistan. The second ODI between Bangladesh and West Indies will be played on October 21, 2025, at 7:30 AM GMT.