Mayers’ masterclass takes Windies to improbable win

Who would've thought a batsman on Test debut with a first-class average of 28 and two hundreds would break records for fun?

The West Indies had absolutely nothing going their way coming into the Test match. They had lost the ODI series. Actually, they were thrashed. The Test squad was slightly stronger compared to the ODI one, but still, they were missing key players like skipper Jason Holder and Roston Chase. 

And they lost the toss in Chattogram and in space of five sessions, Bangladesh had posted a mammoth total of 430. Notably, until that point, Bangladesh hadn't lost a home Test match scoring this many in the first innings.

Then happened the inevitable. Bangladesh spinners overpowered the West Indies batsmen and earned a substantial 171-run first-innings lead on a wicket that had enough assistance for the spinners.

Bangladesh declared their innings towards the end of the second session on day four. They had set up a target of 395 for the West Indies and Bangladesh had a little over four sessions to bowl the visitors out.

Bangladesh were in firm command at stumps on day three with the visitors requiring 285 runs with seven wickets in hand. In fact, Bangladesh were in the driving seat throughout the match barring day five. And no one will ever forget what happened on the final day of the Test match. Because a star had well and truly arrived. 

Bangladesh were still in the contest at lunch on day five. They were hoping for a wicket that would potentially open the floodgates. But Kyle Mayers and Nkrumah Bonner, both on debut, refused to lose their wickets. Bangladesh spinners toiled hard. They created a couple of excellent chances but it wasn't meant to be their day. 

Bonner and Mayers were unseparated for 73.4 overs, adding 216 runs for the fourth wicket. Their partnership was the second-highest stand between two debutants in Test cricket history. 

When Bonner was finally dismissed by Taijul Islam, the West Indies needed another 120 runs to win. A while later, they lost Jermaine Blackwood as well. Bangladesh fielders were charged up and there was a lot of fielders around the bat, chirping and chattering. 

But nothing could stop Kyle Mayers. He simply decided to break as many records as he could. He went for the win despite the approach could potentially go against the West Indies. 

But heroes never fail, do they?

Mayers added 100 for the 6th wicket with Joshua Da Silva in which the latter contributed only 20. The damage was already done when Da Silva got out. The West Indies needed only three runs to win.

Bangladesh then picked up another wicket but it was all too late. The winning runs, most fittingly, came off the bat of Mayers who became the sixth debutant to score a double hundred on debut. Mayers' unbeaten 210 is now the highest individual score in 4th innings in Asia and the second highest in a successful run-chase. 

His incredible effort powered the West Indies to register the highest successful run-chase ever in Asia. This was also the fifth-highest successful chase in the history of Test cricket. 

On Saturday, former West Indies pacer and Barbados stalwart Ezra Moseley died in a road accident. The players observed a one-minute silence in his memory before the start of the day's play. Mayers, who also hails from the same part of the Caribbean, has surely healed some of the pain of his fellow Barbadians with every shot that crossed the boundary and flew over it. 

Test cricket has come to life post-pandemic with underdogs breaching the fortresses of the opponents. Where does this performance from Mayers and the West Indies stand? Forget about it. Think about the impact of this innings on the youngsters of different Caribbean islands. 

Think about Kyle Mayers himself. His father was a first-class cricketer. He couldn't fulfil his dream of playing cricket. Now it can be said without a shred of doubt that he has lived his dream through his son.

Depleted side, unfamiliar conditions, threats posed by four great spinners- all these don't matter now for Kyle Rico Mayers. Because he now knows that heroes are born when adversities grow.