Louis falls short as WI reach 250/5 on Day 1

Mikyle Louis fell agonizingly short of a century, dismissed for 97, as the West Indies finished day one of the Antigua Test against Bangladesh at 250 for 5 on Friday.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first, and while the West Indies faced early setbacks, they were able to recover thanks to a stellar 140-run partnership between Louis and Alick Athanaze.

The West Indies' innings got off to a shaky start. They lost their first wicket with the score on 25 when Kraigg Brathwaite was trapped lbw by Taskin Ahmed. The ball, pitched outside off, nipped back in to rattle the stumps as Brathwaite missed his drive. Taskin struck again shortly after, dismissing Keacy Carty for a duck as he was caught by Taijul Islam at mid-on, leaving the West Indies reeling at 25 for 2.

However, Louis and Athanaze steadied the ship with an impressive partnership, the highlight of the day. Louis, having batted with composure and aggression, reached 97 before he was undone by a delivery from Mehidy Hasan Miraz, which he edged to the slip fielder.

Athanaze, who looked set to carry on, fell just three runs short of a well-deserved century. The left-hander was dismissed for 90 when he attempted a sweep off Taijul Islam but missed the ball and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Liton Das.

At the close of play, Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva remained at the crease, not out on 11 and 14, respectively.

Bangladesh's bowling attack included three pacers—Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Shoriful Islam—along with the left-arm spinner Taijul Islam. Despite his standout performance in the practice match, Hasan Murad, who claimed a hat-trick, was overlooked for a debut in this Test.

The West Indies' total of 250/5 came in a testing first day, with both teams having moments of dominance. Bangladesh will be hoping to make further inroads on day two, but the West Indies have a solid platform in place.

Historically, Bangladesh has struggled in Tests against the West Indies, having won just four of their 20 encounters. With several key players missing from their lineup, this series presents an opportunity for Bangladesh to make a statement with a youthful squad.

The second and final Test of the series will take place in Kingston, starting November 30.