WI seamers rattle Bangladesh, put visitors ahead in Sylhet

Bangladesh found themselves on the back foot at the end of the second day's play of the Sylhet Test, losing three wickets for 88 runs in response to West Indies' 356. They still trail by 268 runs.

It could've been worse if it wasn't for an unbeaten 37-run partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim and Towhid Hridoy till bad light brought in early stumps. They were also left without opener Shadman Islam, who suffered an ankle injury while fielding at the start of the day, and his availability for the rest of the Test remains in doubt after being stretchered off.

After bowling West Indies out in the second session, Bangladesh sent in Nayeem Hasan to open the innings for the first time in his Test career. He, however, lasted six balls, edging Jayden Seales in the fifth over. A twitchy Tanzid Hasan, meanwhile, charged the West Indies bowlers without much luck at the other end and was tied down across four consecutive maiden overs. Tanzid then toe-ended Justin Greaves to cover, where Kevin Wickham took a diving catch to his right.

Shortly after the tea break, Shamar Joseph struck when he got a delivery to seam away from a forward-pressing Najmul Hossain Shanto, hitting the top of his off-stump. The Bangladesh captain made 18 off 65 balls.

Mushfiqur offered resistance thereafter, breaking a 35-ball boundary drought in the 25th over. Jomel Warrican dropped Hridoy on 12 in the following over, a difficult caught-and-bowled chance as he dived full length to his left, but got only a finger to the ball. Seales tested both batters with the short-pitched deliveries, at times exchanging words with Hridoy. The pair however joked with each other towards the end of the day.

Given Bangladesh's top-order struggles in the afternoon, West Indies' first-innings score of 356 now looks like a strong batting performance. Despite sliding from 264 for 4 to 301 for 8, their last four batters added 81 runs cumulatively to give them a decent push towards the end.

Otherwise, the morning had belonged to Bangladesh seamer Hasan Mahmud, who finished with 6 for 90. He knocked off overnight centurion Amir Jangoo with the second new-ball, getting a delivery to swing back sharply into the left-hander's off bail. Jangoo struck 13 fours and two sixes in his 133 off 212 balls, an impressive second Test century in his first ten innings. He had put on 133 for the fourth wicket with Kevin Wickham on the first day, before adding 106 for the fifth wicket with Greaves.

Next ball, Mahmud got the ball to swing back into Roston Chase, who got caught behind off the inside edge. Mahmud appeared to get a hat-trick after he struck Joshua Bishop on the front-pad next ball, but the batter's review showed that it had taken an inside edge.

Bishop was eventually out stumped to Mahmud after Litton Das stood up to the stumps just before the delivery. Mehidy Hasan Miraz got two wickets on either side of Mahmud picking up his sixth wicket. West Indies' last pair of Seales and Warrican put on 33 runs in more than eleven overs take the visitors to 356.