Dhaka: Bangladesh team could have won the their first Test against West Indieshad they batted with a bit responsibility as the tourists threw a modest total of just 245 runs to win on Saturday, 5th day of the first Test at Mirpur Stadium.

But chasing the 245 run target, Tigers lost seven top order batsmen in quick succession after scoring just 125 runs dampening their hope to win the Test. And finally threw away the match as Tigers were all-out by scoring just 167 runs giving a 77 run victory to the West Indies team.

Tigers lost their top order cheaply as Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Nasir Hossain had returned to the pavilion after taking the total score to just 167 run in their second innings in Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Tamim scored 5, Junaid 20, Nafees 23, Shakib 2, Mushfiq 16 and Nasir Hossain 21 runs before returning to the pavilion.

Pacer Tino Best took the wickets of Junaid, Nafees and Shakib while Rampaul picked up Tamim.

On Saturday Sohag Gazi restricted the West Indians to 273 runs by his marvelous bowling after the tourist took an overall lead of 245 runs.

With just a day in hand, Tigers could test the taste of first Test win against West Indies if they could score just 245 runs Saturday by playing the game intelligently and of course with maturity and temperament.

With his excellent bowling show off-spinner Sohag Gazi ravaged the West Indies by taking 9 wickets for 72 runs in his debut Test.

A look at the session-by-session details of this Test might give you the impression that the Mirpur pitch stayed lifeless till tea on day four, and started turning square afterwards.

Just 15 wickets fell in the first 11 sessions; five fell after tea on day four, and six more went down till lunch on the final morning, reports ESPNcricinfo.

But the pitch has been anything but unplayable. There was slightly more bite and uneven bounce on day five, but it was the pressure of good bowling, and in Bangladesh's case, the added one of having to go for the target of 245, that led to the batsmen's downfall.

To start off, Sohag Gazi, the 21-year old offspinner, took the best figures by a Bangladesh Test debutant when he ran through the West Indies lower order to claim 6 for 72.

West Indies lasted less than ten overs on the final morning as Gazi claimed all four wickets to fall, including Shivnarine Chanderpaul who came in at No. 11 due to an illness, and lasted four deliveries.

Gazi's burst left Bangladesh needing 245 to achieve what, if it happens, will only be their fourth Test win, and their first against opposition other than Zimbabwe and second-string sides.

While West Indies had succumbed to spin, it was pace that jolted Bangladesh early in the chase. Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique both went caught behind trying to score off pacy, short of a length deliveries outside off stump from Ravi Rampaul and Tino Best.

The session, though, belonged to Gazi. For most of the game, he belied both his debutant status and his young age. He had taken three of the four West Indies wickets to fall in the first innings, during which he sent down as many as 47 overs.

He needed less than half as many in the second innings to claim twice as many West Indies batsmen. His control was impressive throughout, as was his use of flight. There was a period during the second innings when Kieran Powell and Darren Bravo hit him for some boundaries, but Gazi's riposte told of his maturity.

Don't be fooled into thinking the pitch had a role to play in his dismissals, apart from Marlon Samuels' in the second innings. In fact, Gazi intelligently made use of the straighter and quicker delivery as the surface started to wear and batsmen started to play for the expected turn. Four of Gazi's six wickets came that way.

Veerasammy Permaul, late on day four, and Best and Rampaul today, were bowled playing for sharp turn that wasn't there, while Chanderpaul padded up to one that came in from round the stumps. Darren Sammy started the slide today morning playing back to one that was pushed through.

Gazi's effort bettered Manjural Islam's 6 for 81 against Zimbabwe in 2001. Six was a number that would have encouraged the Bangladesh batsmen too.

They have made more than 245, their target in this game, six times in the fourth innings of Tests. However, they didn't win any of those games. It is to be seen if Gazi manages to inspire them to what would be a scarcely believable win. They still require 200 at just above three runs an over, with 62 overs left in the match.

Ends/AMA/17/11/12