West Indies skipper Rovman Powell expressed disappointment following his team’s narrow 7-run defeat to Bangladesh in the first T20I in Kingstown on Monday (December 16). Powell, who stood out with a scintillating 60 off 35 balls, acknowledged the batting group’s failure to capitalize and emphasized the importance of avoiding wickets in clusters.

“The only time they (Bangladesh) would be in the game was if we lost wickets in clusters, and we did that. It is just a matter of us assessing it a little earlier. We could have consolidated a little bit more,” Powell said.

Bangladesh posted a competitive 147/6, thanks to all-rounder Mahedi Hasan’s heroics (26* off 24 and 4/13). In reply, West Indies stumbled, losing five wickets for just 38 runs in the powerplay. Powell lamented the team’s poor execution with the bat but praised the bowling unit for its credible performance.

“Death bowling has always been a struggle for us, but over the last 12 months or so, we have improved. As a batting group, we let the team down,” he added.

The West Indies’ plan to counter Bangladesh’s left-arm spinner with a left-right combination was visible with Romario Shepherd’s promotion up the order. While Shepherd contributed a useful 22 off 17, Powell remains hopeful for better performances in the upcoming games.

The skipper also lauded the support from the Kingstown crowd, calling it vital during this challenging phase: “Great support from the crowd; we need it now more than ever.” Powell stressed the need for “honest conversations” to address their recent slump in T20Is, as the team has now lost seven of their last eight games.

The second T20I presents an opportunity for the West Indies to regroup and level the series.