Bangladesh vs West Indies 2nd Test Preview: Sylhet Decider, Playing 11, Who Will Win

Bangladesh vs West Indies 2nd Test Preview: Sylhet Decider, Playing 11, Who Will Win

By NajamSports Team | November 5, 2026

Bangladesh vs West Indies, 2nd Test, Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Thursday, November 5 to Monday, November 9, 2026 — first ball at 8:30 AM PKT (9:00 AM IST, 9:30 AM local time in Sylhet, 3:30 AM GMT). West Indies lead the two-match series 1-0 after their eight-wicket win in Mirpur, so the equation is brutally simple: Bangladesh must win in Sylhet to level the series, while West Indies need only a draw to seal a rare away series victory — and a win would complete a 2-0 sweep and an unbeaten calendar year in Test series, something no West Indies side has managed since 1994.

Panoramic view of the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, venue for the second Test. File photo, Wikimedia Commons.

What Is At Stake?

This is the final Test of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle for West Indies, and coach Daren Sammy has made no secret of what it means. His side beat Sri Lanka 1-0 at home and drew 1-1 with Pakistan at home earlier in 2026, and the Mirpur win means they already cannot lose a series this calendar year — the first West Indies team to finish a year unbeaten in Test series since 1994. A draw in Sylhet still delivers an away series win; a victory delivers a sweep and a perfect finish to the cycle.

For Bangladesh, the stakes are just as sharp. The Mirpur defeat ended a run of five straight home Test wins — against Zimbabwe, Ireland twice and Pakistan twice — and it was their third straight home Test defeat against West Indies. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted after Mirpur that the first innings was the turning point: Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for 51 runs to be bowled out for 272, then collapsed again for 142. Lose in Sylhet and it is a home series defeat; win, and the series is shared 1-1 with the WTC points that go with it. Bangladesh sit fifth in the current WTC standings with three wins, three defeats and a draw from seven matches; West Indies are eighth with three wins, eight defeats and two draws from thirteen.

Form Guide: Recent Tests

West Indies — unbeaten in Test series in 2026: beat Bangladesh by 8 wickets in Mirpur (October 31, 2026); drew 1-1 with Pakistan at home (won the first Test at Tarouba by 90 runs, lost the second at Port of Spain by 8 wickets); beat Sri Lanka 1-0 at home (won the first Test by an innings, drew the rain-affected second Test in Antigua). Three series, no defeat — and the Mirpur win was their most complete away performance of the year.

Bangladesh — five home wins in a row, then Mirpur: lost to West Indies by 8 wickets in Mirpur (October 31, 2026); before that, beat Pakistan 2-0 at home in May 2026 — by 104 runs in Dhaka (Shanto 101 and 87) and by 78 runs here in Sylhet (Litton Das 126, Taijul Islam six wickets in the fourth innings); earlier in 2026, beat Ireland 2-0 at home; and recently drew a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. The Mirpur loss was Bangladesh's first home Test defeat in two years, which tells you how high the bar had been set — and how much of a shock the collapse was.

Team Comparison: Bangladesh vs West Indies Head To Head In Tests

The head-to-head record is heavily one-sided, and Bangladesh know it. The two sides have met in 23 Tests: West Indies have won 16, Bangladesh have won 5, and 2 have been drawn. The first Test between them was played in December 2002. In Bangladesh, across 11 meetings, West Indies have won 8, Bangladesh have won 2, and 1 has been drawn.

The series history tells a similar story. Of 11 Test series between the sides, Bangladesh have won just two — both 2-0, away in 2009 and at home in 2018 — while West Indies have won eight and one was drawn. The most recent series before this one, in 2024, ended 1-1: West Indies won the first Test by 201 runs in Antigua before Bangladesh hit back with a 101-run victory in Jamaica. West Indies also swept the last two-match series in Bangladesh, 2-0, in 2021.

But Sylhet itself is a happier hunting ground for the hosts than Mirpur has been. Bangladesh have won their last three Tests at this venue: against New Zealand by 150 runs in November-December 2023 (their first Test win at the ground), against Ireland in November 2025, and against Pakistan by 78 runs in May 2026. If there is a venue in Bangladesh where this team believes it can turn a series around, it is this one.

What Happened In The First Test At Mirpur?

The first Test, played October 28 to November 1, 2026, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, finished inside four days. Bangladesh won the toss and batted first, but after Shadman Islam's 105 carried them to a strong position, they lost their last seven wickets for 51 runs and were bowled out for 272. Jomel Warrican took 5/53 in that innings and finished the match with nine wickets. West Indies replied with 245 (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 56, Nayeem Hasan 4/33), then Bangladesh collapsed again — 142 all out, with Roston Chase taking 5/36 and Warrican 4/63. Chasing 170, West Indies cruised home at 170/2 in just 35.1 overs: Brandon King finished 81 not out, his career-best, John Campbell made 49, and Kavem Hodge was 31 not out. The openers had put on 112 for the first wicket. West Indies' spinners took 16 wickets in the match; Bangladesh's spin trio managed just eight.

Squads And Probable Playing 11

Bangladesh have named a 15-member squad with one change from Mirpur: Amite Hasan replaces Mominul Haque, who is out under the concussion protocol after his head injury in the first Test. Mushfiqur Rahim, who missed Mirpur with a finger injury, is back in the squad, and his fitness is the key selection question for the hosts. Taskin Ahmed is available again, and coach Phil Simmons has hinted that Taijul Islam could make way for a three-man pace attack, with Taskin and Ebadot Hossain competing for the third seamer's spot alongside Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vice-captain), Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Amite Hasan.

West Indies squad: Roston Chase (captain), Jomel Warrican (vice-captain), Joshua Bishop, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Joshua Da Silva, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Shamar Springer, Kevin Wickham.

Bangladesh probable playing 11: Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed or Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam. If Mushfiqur is not passed fit, Amite Hasan comes in. These are probable XIs based on the squads and the first Test teams, not confirmed teams — the confirmed XIs are announced at the toss.

West Indies probable playing 11: John Campbell, Brandon King, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo (wicketkeeper), Roston Chase (captain), Kemar Roach or Joshua Bishop, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales. Kemar Roach is the main alternative if West Indies want a third frontline seamer on a livelier surface.

Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das, whose 126 rescued Bangladesh on the first day of the Sylhet Test against Pakistan in May 2026. File photo, Wikimedia Commons.

Key Battles To Watch

Brandon King and John Campbell vs Bangladesh's new-ball attack: the West Indies openers put on 112 in the Mirpur chase and have been the pair Sammy singled out for praise before this Test. Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud, possibly joined by Taskin Ahmed, must strike early on a Sylhet surface that offers more for the quicks than Mirpur did.

Roston Chase and Jomel Warrican vs Bangladesh's middle order: this was the decisive battle in Mirpur, and it is the one Bangladesh must win in Sylhet. Warrican took nine wickets in the first Test and Chase five in the second innings; against them, Mushfiqur Rahim's return — if he is fit — is worth more than any selection tweak, because his experience against spin is exactly what collapsed twice in Dhaka. Shadman Islam, fresh from his 105, is the other batter West Indies will plan for.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz vs the West Indies lower middle order: Bangladesh's vice-captain is their most important all-round cricketer in home conditions, and his duel with the likes of Justin Greaves and Chase in the second innings could decide whether West Indies' tail wags or folds.

Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales vs the Sylhet bounce: if Sylhet plays as expected — pace and bounce early, then a true batting track — the West Indies quicks get their best conditions of the tour. Seales' control and Joseph's pace are built for exactly this kind of surface.

West Indies captain Roston Chase, whose 5/36 in the second innings at Mirpur set up the eight-wicket win. File photo, Wikimedia Commons.

Pitch Report And Conditions: Sylhet International Cricket Stadium

Sylhet offers far more pace and bounce than Mirpur, traditionally aiding the seamers early before settling into a true batting track under dry skies. That is why both teams are weighing a third seamer: Bangladesh may bench Taijul Islam for an extra quick, and West Indies may bring Kemar Roach back. The venue is surrounded by hills and famous for its green gallery, and its Test history favours the side that bats first and bats big — Bangladesh's 150-run win over New Zealand here in 2023 and the 78-run win over Pakistan in May 2026 both came from first-innings control. Spin still matters late in the game, but unlike Mirpur, it will not dominate from day one. Weather is expected to stay dry, so a full five days — and a result — are realistic.

My Prediction: Who Will Win The Sylhet Test?

I am backing Bangladesh to win this Test and level the series 1-1. Three reasons. First, Sylhet is genuinely different from Mirpur: the extra pace and bounce neutralises the slow-turning trap that Warrican and Chase exploited, and it brings Bangladesh's quicks — Shoriful, Hasan Mahmud and possibly Taskin — into the game from the first morning. Second, Bangladesh's record at this venue is real: three straight Test wins here, including two in 2026's home season, and a captain in Shanto who has made a habit of big first-innings runs. Third, Mushfiqur Rahim's return, if confirmed, fixes the exact weakness Mirpur exposed — a middle order with no experience to steady a collapse.

That said, I would not be surprised by a draw, which is all West Indies need. They have been the better team in this series so far, their openers are in form, and a team chasing history — an unbeaten year since 1994 — does not give away a series lead cheaply. But Bangladesh at Sylhet, with their backs to the wall and a must-win game, are a different proposition from Bangladesh at Mirpur. My call: Bangladesh by a narrow margin, most likely inside four days, with Shadman Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz central to it.

FAQs: Bangladesh vs West Indies 2nd Test

When does the Bangladesh vs West Indies 2nd Test start? Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 8:30 AM PKT (9:00 AM IST, 9:30 AM local time in Sylhet). The match runs to November 9, 2026.

Where is the BAN vs WI 2nd Test being played? At the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet, Bangladesh.

What is the head-to-head record between Bangladesh and West Indies in Tests? 23 Tests: West Indies 16 wins, Bangladesh 5 wins, 2 draws. In Bangladesh: West Indies 8, Bangladesh 2, 1 draw.

Who won the first Test of the series? West Indies won by 8 wickets in Mirpur on October 31, 2026, chasing 170 in 35.1 overs. Brandon King made 81 not out and Roston Chase took 5/36 in the second innings.

What are the probable playing 11s for the Sylhet Test? Bangladesh (probable): Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed or Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam. West Indies (probable): John Campbell, Brandon King, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo (wicketkeeper), Roston Chase (captain), Kemar Roach or Joshua Bishop, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales. Confirmed XIs are announced at the toss.

Who will win the BAN vs WI 2nd Test? My prediction is Bangladesh to win and level the series 1-1, because Sylhet's pace and bounce suit their quicks, their record at this venue is three straight Test wins, and Mushfiqur Rahim's return strengthens a middle order that collapsed twice in Mirpur. A draw, which would give West Indies the series, is the next most likely result.

Read more on this series: our report on West Indies' eight-wicket win in the Mirpur Test as King hit a career-best 81 not out, and our preview of the first Test of the series.

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Sources: ESPNcricinfo match preview (November 4, 2026); CricTracker head-to-head records; West Indies coach Daren Sammy's pre-match comments (November 4, 2026); verified first Test scorecard from our October 31, 2026 report.