Fizz in Test XI after over 16 months as Tigers asked to bat

Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman starts a Test after over 16 months as Shakib Al Hasan-led Bangladesh have been asked to bat by West Indies in the first match of the two-Test series at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua today. 

Mustafizur, who has been reluctant to play the format in recent years, was added to the Test squad after injury forced out pacers Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam from the series. The last time Mustafizur featured in a Test was also against West Indies during the Tigers' home series in February 2021.  

All-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz also returns to the side after missing out the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka last month due to a finger injury.

This series, meanwhile, will see premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan begin his third stint as Bangladesh's Test skipper. Shakib, who succeeded Mominul Haque after he had stepped down from his role as the Test captain of Bangladesh, will have his work cut out as the Tigers go into the tough Windies series on the back of four defeats in their last five Tests. 

Moreover, with Mushfiqur Rahim opting out of the series to perform Hajj and the recent injury forcing middle-order batter Yasir Ali out of the Test series, it is certain that a stern test lies ahead for the Bangladesh top-order that has suffered horrible meltdowns in both innings during their recent Test series at home against Sri Lanka.

This series was largely preceded by concerns about whether Bangladeshi fans would be able to watch the matches live on TV. Unfortunately, no TV channel officially acquired the broadcasting rights for a series that features two Tests -- part of the ICC Test Championship -- three T20Is and three ODIs. 

The fans will have to watch the game on the ICC TV platform but they will have to subscribe to ICC TV and pay two dollars to unlock access to live streams, on-demand replays and highlights.

Playing XI:

West Indies: KC Brathwaite*, JD Campbell, RA Reifer, NE Bonner, J Blackwood, KR Mayers, J Da Silva†, AS Joseph, KAJ Roach, JNT Seales, G Moti-Kanhai

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan*, Mominul Haque, Liton Das, Nurul Hasan†, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain