Bangladesh stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz shared his thoughts after the team’s defeat to West Indies in the first ODI on Sunday (December 8). Despite posting a solid total of 294 runs, the Tigers could not defend their target, falling short as West Indies chased it down with a strong partnership between Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford.

Speaking about the game, Miraz said, "Yes, we were satisfied. 294 is a very good score on this kind of pitch. Credit to them, especially Hope and Rutherford. They got a partnership on this wicket. It was a tough day for our bowlers."

He praised the early efforts of the bowling unit, particularly mentioning Nahid Rana, Taskin Ahmed, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, but acknowledged the struggles during the middle overs. "We started really well, especially Nahid and Taskin and Tanzim; they bowled really well. But after that, we didn't bowl well in the middle overs, we didn't get wickets. It can happen, but still, the wicket was looking good and they played well," he added.

Miraz also highlighted the need to address mistakes and focus on the remaining two matches. "We'll learn from so many things. We made some mistakes. We'll focus on how to get better in the next matches. We have two matches left, so I think we have a good chance," he concluded.

Bangladesh set a competitive target of 294 runs, courtesy of a solid batting performance. However, a resilient partnership from West Indies' Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford anchored the chase, handing the hosts a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

The Tigers started strongly with disciplined bowling in the powerplay, but the failure to take wickets in the middle overs proved costly.

With two matches remaining, the series is still open for Bangladesh to turn things around. The team will look to address their middle-over bowling concerns and capitalize on their strong starts to secure a victory in the second ODI.