Alin's 135 and Jisan's 86: BCB XI Pile Up 371 on Day One of Warm-Up Match Against West Indies
The BCB XI sparkled with the bat in the two-day warm-up match against the West Indies. On Thursday (22 October), at the Anvir Cricket Stadium of ABG Sports City, the hosts reached 371 for 7 in 90 overs at the close of the first day. The hero of the day was Kalam Siddiqui Alin — his 135-run innings carried the team towards a big total.
Alin raised his bat in celebration after reaching the magical three-figure mark, applauded by teammates from the dugout. At the other end, Jisan Alam returned with regret after raising hopes of a century; after his 86, Alin's hundred made the day belong entirely to the hosts.
Batting first, however, the BCB XI did not start well. Early in the innings, opener Mahfizul Islam Robin was trapped lbw by Jayden Seales for just 4 runs. Losing a wicket at the start put the team under pressure.
Jisan Alam and Iftekhar Hossain Ifti then steadied the early damage in a second-wicket stand. But Ifti fell to Jomel Warrican for 18 off 62 balls. Even after the stand broke, Jisan kept one end secure and batted fluently.
The opener, who had raised real hopes of a century, ultimately could not reach three figures. He was bowled by Joshua Bishop for 86 off 100 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. Missing the hundred by only 14 runs was a regret for him, but the innings laid the team's foundation.
After Jisan's departure, Alin took charge of the innings. With Jaker Ali Anik for company, he carried the team forward. On the way to an important fourth-wicket partnership, Jaker returned for 30 off 48 balls. That did not stop Alin's batting dominance.
Handling the Caribbean bowlers with composure, Alin completed his century off 163 balls. He eventually returned to the pavilion for 135 off 185 balls, falling to Kevin Wickham. His innings was the BCB XI's biggest gain of the day.
Chowdhury Rizwan then added a 52-run partnership with Shamim Hossain Patwary. Rizwan returned late in the day for 59. Mehrub Hasan, who came in next, was dismissed before opening his account. Both late wickets were taken by Kavem Hodge.
For the West Indies, Joshua Bishop also took two wickets with the ball. Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican and Kevin Wickham took one wicket each. The Caribbean bowlers found success at times but could not sustain pressure through the day.
On the second day, the BCB XI will aim to extend the total further and then test their bowlers. In a warm-up match, checking the rhythm of batters and bowlers before the main series matters more than the result — and the first day's batting has boosted the hosts' confidence in that test.
