Spin storm in Dhaka: West Indies bowl full 50 overs of spin in historic feat

In a historic move, the West Indies opted to forgo their fast bowlers and rely solely on spin in the second ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Tuesday, 21 October. This marked the first occasion in ODI cricket history that a team has fielded an innings entirely with spinners. The gamble paid off, as West Indies managed to restrict Bangladesh to a modest 213 for 7, proving that their spin-heavy strategy could be highly effective.

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Interestingly, despite having all-rounder Justin Greaves in the side as the only recognised pacer, the West Indies did not utilise him at all. Instead, they turned to part-timer Alick Athanaze, who impressed by bowling the full ten overs, conceding only 14 runs and claiming two wickets. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie was the standout performer, finishing with three wickets and firmly establishing himself as the spearhead of the spin attack.

The pitch, reused from the first game of the series, was slow with considerable turn and cracks, making batting a challenging proposition. The decision to go spin-heavy was influenced by lessons from the opening match, where Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain had exploited similar conditions to take six wickets. West Indies clearly sought to capitalise on the same pitch characteristics to gain a strategic advantage.

Historically, the record for the most overs of spin bowled in an ODI match was held by Sri Lanka, who bowled 44 overs of spin against the West Indies in Port of Spain in 1996. That game saw contributions from Muttiah Muralitharan, Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Dharmasena, Upul Chandana, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Hashan Tillakaratne, collectively taking seven wickets as Sri Lanka secured a 35-run victory. Sri Lanka has repeated the feat on two other occasions, against New Zealand in 1998 and Australia in 2004, making them the team most associated with high-spin ODI strategies.

Most overs of spin by a team in an ODI match – Full Members only

50 Overs - West Indies against Bangladesh in 2025

44 Overs – Sri Lanka against West Indies in 1996

44 Overs – Sri Lanka against New Zealand in 1998

44 Overs – Sri Lanka against Australia in 2004

43 Overs – Sri Lanka against West Indies in 1995

- Ends

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