DHAKA: Bangladesh will be looking for a rare Test series win when they take on West Indies in the second and final Test at the Sher-e-Ban­gla National Cricket Stad­ium in Dhaka from Friday.

The home side lead the two-match series 1-0 thanks to their 64-run win the first Test in Chittagong when their spinners accounted for all 20 wickets to dismiss the visitors for 246 and 139.

A win in Dhaka will give Bangladesh only their fourth Test series win in history and first since 2014 when they triumphed over Zimbabwe 3-0 at home.

Bangladesh came close to winning series twice in the past two years, respectively against Australia and Sri Lanka but on both occasions they stumbled at the final hurdle.

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan said his team has the ability to overcome the odds.

“We have a challenge and we believe we can overcome this,” Shakib said at the pre-match press conference on Thursday. “Naturally, West Indies will also go into the match more excited. They will give their best to win. We have to perform better than them, more than what we did in Chittagong. We have to be tough physically and mentally. Above all, we need to surpass the performance of the first Test.

“It will be very special for us if we can win the series 2-0 ... whatever it requires we are preparing to do that,” he added. “If it is not possible to win, our target will be taking series 1-0, because the ultimate target is winning the series 2-0.”

Shakib promised positive cricket. “But we don’t want to win series by playing defensive cricket. We will go into the match with a positive frame of mind.”

Bangladesh’s chances, however, got a blow when wicket-keeper/batsman Mushfiqur Rahim hurt his finger during a training session on Wednesday.

Though Shakib did not rule out Mushfiqur playing the game, the home side had recalled Liton Das as a back-up option.

“In case the pain [of Mushfiqur] increased and it got swelled, Liton is added to the team so that we got an option. But as far as I am concerned Mushfiqur will play and also keep the wicket,” said Shakib.

Another spin-friendly track in Dhaka is expected, and stand-in West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite urged his side to stay positive.

“Staying positive on this type of wicket is the key,” he said. “The bounce varied a lot in the first Test and even myself could have gone forward. The onus is on ourselves to trust our defense and attacking methods.

“The key is to be light on your feet, and treat each ball as it comes. We need to be clear in our mind how we are going to do it. I definitely believe we can do it.”

Brathwaite didn’t believe his side was under pressure of losing the series against Bangladesh for the first time since 2009, when West Indies used a team weakened by the absence of first-choice players following a pay dispute with their board.

“We are not under pressure. We know what we have to do,” he said. “We have to look to draw the series. The top five must put on partnerships to help us win.”

The visitors will miss pace bowler Shannon Gabriel, who was banned from the second Test after being handed two demerit points in the first.

Gabriel was the pick of the West Indies bowlers on an spin-oriented pitch in the first Test, claiming four wickets in a short spell in the first innings that had nearly swung the game to their way.

West Indies will also play three One-day Internationals and as many Twenty20 Internationals against Bangladesh during their month-long tour.

Teams (from):

BANGLADESH: Shadman Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Mohammad Mithun, Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Liton Das, Khaled Ahmed, Ariful Haque.

WEST INDIES: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Sunil Ambris, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Keemo Paul, Devendra Bishoo, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican, Shermon Lewis, Raymon Reifer.

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka).

TV umpire: Richard Illingworth (England).

Match referee: David Boon (Australia).

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2018