BAN vs WI 1st Test 2026: Prediction & Squads

BAN vs WI 1st Test preview

Bangladesh host West Indies in the 1st Test at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, on Wednesday, 28 October 2026. Play is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM IST, and the match is set for five days.

The Test is part of the West Indies tour of Bangladesh, 2026, a series that runs from 22 October to 5 November 2026. Bangladesh’s last Test was a draw against Afghanistan, while West Indies’ most recent completed Test was a home win over Sri Lanka.

Form guide

Bangladesh’s recent Test results are mixed. They drew with Afghanistan on 9 October, with Afghanistan making 240 and 346/8 and Bangladesh replying with 346 and 372/7. Before that, they lost the second Test in Australia by an innings and 51 runs, having won the first in Darwin by 9 wickets.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the Darwin win was Bangladesh’s first Test victory in Australia. ESPNcricinfo also lists them as winning both Tests of their home series against Pakistan in May 2026, by 104 runs in Mirpur and 78 runs in Sylhet.

West Indies’ latest matches on record are white-ball: they played India in five ODIs in October, winning two, losing two, with one washed out. In the red-ball format, ESPNcricinfo reports they beat Sri Lanka at North Sound by an innings and 217 runs, their first Test win under captain Roston Chase.

Head-to-head

West Indies won three of the last four Tests between these sides. They won by 7 wickets and by 10 wickets in June 2022, and by 201 runs in the first Test of the 2024 series in the Caribbean. Bangladesh won the other, by 101 runs, on 30 November 2024.

West Indies won all three T20Is when Bangladesh last hosted them in October 2025, while Bangladesh took two of the three ODIs. The Daily Star notes that Jayden Seales took 19 wickets against Bangladesh across the 2022 and 2024 series, and that Kemar Roach has taken 53 of his 304 Test wickets against them.

Team news

The ICC reports that Bangladesh have named a 15-player squad for the opening Test. Taskin Ahmed returns after missing the one-off Test against Afghanistan, and Najmul Hossain Shanto is set to captain the side throughout the series. Litton Das is included despite a recent hip injury. The Daily Star says the absence of fast bowler Nahid Rana could be felt more if the pitches are sporting.

The ICC also says off-spinner Aliss Al Islam has been reported for a suspect bowling action after the match against Afghanistan in Sharjah on Wednesday, 21 October. His action will be assessed at an ICC Accredited Testing Centre.

West Indies have named a 15-member squad, according to the ICC. White-ball captain Shai Hope has been rested ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Alzarri Joseph has been withdrawn after a routine medical assessment, with the medical team citing the workload of back-to-back Tests, and Keemo Paul replaces him. Kevin Wickham has received a maiden Test call-up.

Our prediction

Bangladesh have home conditions in Dhaka and a recent Test win over Australia to lean on, but their last two Tests were a draw and a defeat. West Indies are without Alzarri Joseph and Shai Hope, though their innings win over Sri Lanka shows they can dominate a Test, and they have won three of the last four Tests against Bangladesh. We lean slightly towards Bangladesh at home, but expect a close contest.