West Indies wary of Bangladesh fightback ahead of Sylhet Test

West Indies will not ease off despite leading Bangladesh 1-0 in the two-match series, with the decider starting Nov. 5 in Sylhet, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.

The series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025/27, and the first Test was played in Mirpur from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said the hosts would come out fiercely in the final Test, adding that Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons would not make it easy.

"He wants to win as well," Sammy said, noting that Bangladesh also had their own goals in the Championship.

Sammy said he was confident his players would be ready in Sylhet, pointing to their hunger, determination and attention to detail.

He noted that Bangladesh were fourth in the Championship standings before the series, after beating Australia in a Test, so he said his team was aware of what was at stake.

West Indies are eighth in the standings with a points percentage of 26.92, having won three of their 13 fixtures in the current cycle.

Sammy said the team's hopes of reaching next year's World Test Championship Final may have faded, but he believed the side was improving as a Test team.

He said the players were settling into the roles assigned to them, and that his spinners outbowled their Bangladeshi counterparts while his batsmen played spin better.

Sammy also praised captain Roston Chase, who was appointed to the role just before the cycle began last year.

"He never lost his voice," Sammy said, referring to Chase's leadership during a difficult first year of the Championship.

Sammy said the squad was determined to meet the goals it set in Barbados when the cycle started.