Bangladesh and West Indies are set for a thrilling series finale in the third and final ODI at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Following West Indies’ dramatic Super Over win in the second match, with the series leveled at 1-1, both teams will be desperate to win the decider. The tourists made history by bowling 50 overs of spin in the last game, a testament to the heavily turning surface. The match promises to be another entertaining contest where the use of spin bowling and batting will be key on a tricky pitch.
Bangladesh rely on spin and redemption
Bangladesh will be looking for a comeback after narrowly missing out on winning the series in the second ODI. There was a slight improvement in their batting and they reached 213 runs, with Soumya Sarkar’s 45-run innings and Rishad Hussain’s brilliant 39-run knock in 14 balls being the highlights. However, the top-order’s struggle for flow remains a matter of concern. With the ball, the spin trio of Rishad Hussain (9 wickets in 2 matches), Tanvir Islam and captain Mehdi Hasan Miraz have been phenomenal.
“The Tigers will be disappointed that they couldn’t perform well and win the series.”
Rishad Hussain, with nine wickets and 65 runs in the series, has arguably been the most impressive player and will be key once again. The hosts may consider bringing in the pace of Hasan Mahmood or Tanzeem Hasan Shakib to add variety, especially after West Indies’ pace bowlers were surprisingly not used in the last game. Bangladesh will need a big partnership from their senior batsmen – Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Tauheed Hridoy – to post a series-winning score.
West Indies captain and historic spin attack
West Indies are heading into the decider with immense confidence after their historic and hard-fought Super Over win, which leveled the series. His all-spin bowling attack in the second ODI was phenomenally successful, restricting Bangladesh to 213 runs. Gudakesh Moti and part-time hero Alick Athanasz, who took 2 for 14 in 10 overs, led the way. However, the real star was captain Shai Hope, who showed tremendous composure on a difficult pitch by scoring an unbeaten 53 in the main match and a decisive 7* in the Super Over.
“Captain Shai Hope ensured that even a late defeat would not allow West Indies to lose the match as they took it to the Super Over.”
The question for the visitors is whether to stick with the all-spin strategy or reintroduce a specialist fast bowler like Jaden Seales to target the Bangladeshi top order. Given the spin-friendly nature of the pitch, the spin-heavy formula is likely to be retained. The key to their success will be the utilization of their top-order batsmen like Brandon King and Alek Athanaz, who will need to rotate the strike better and counter the threat of Rishad Hussain.
BAN vs WI, 3rd ODI: Match Details
Date and time: October 23; 01:00 PM IST/ 07:30 AM GMT Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka BAN vs WI, Head-to-Head Record: Matches Played: 49 | Bangladesh won: 22 | West Indies: 25 | No results: 2
Shere Bangla National Stadium Pitch Report:
The black clay surface at Mirpur is expected to once again offer a dry, broken and heavy spin-friendly pitch. A score around 210-230 is likely to be competitive, as the average first innings total in the series has been ≈210. The spinners have a clear advantage, averaging 24 runs per wicket compared to 25.40 for the fast bowlers. Historically, batting first on this pitch gives a slight advantage, with teams winning 58% of the time.
BAN vs WI, 3rd ODI: Today’s match prediction
Case 1:
West Indies won the toss and batted first West Indies Powerplay Score: 35-45 West Indies Total Score: 200-220
Case 2:
Bangladesh won the toss and batted first Bangladesh Powerplay Score: 40-50 Bangladesh Total Score: 230-250
Match Result: Bangladesh will win the series by winning the decider.