"Honest trier." "Never-say-die attitude." "Can't be faulted for effort."
Darren Sammy's supporters tend to deal in intangibles when they explain his value to the side. If emotions are cast aside, Sammy comes across as a limited, but effective, back-up seamer, while his batting is of the hit-or-miss variety. Questions remain over whether he justifies a spot in the side, potentially at the expense of the pacy Kemar Roach. Sammy will want to lay those questions to rest in this series.
Mushfiqur would have seen Shakib's travails from close quarters, and will have to tread the tricky line now. Tuesday's win has already raised expectations, and a change in form will not be easily tolerated. Mushfiqur must be concerned since West Indies have the personnel to effect a turnaround. The exclusion of Devendra Bishoo caught up with them on the spinner-friendly Mirpur surface, but they are unlikely to repeat the gaffe on the same pitch. The visitors will also be bolstered by the inclusion of Kieron Pollard, who has developed a reputation for minnow-bashing. The biggest worry for the visitors will be their middle order's dodginess against Bangladesh's platoon of left-arm spinners. The in-form Marlon Samuels will remain their point man, but can Darren Bravo and the rest play around him?
Mushfiqur's biggest challenge as he takes over the leadership will be finding ways to manage these unfair expectations. It was a challenge that caught up with Shakib Al Hasan during Bangladesh's roller-coaster World Cup campaign. One day he was joking with journalists, relieved after a hard-fought win against Ireland, only for the video to go viral and earn him brickbats after the crushing loss to West Indies. When Bangladesh somehow scrambled to victory against England in their next game, Shakib was in tears - the reaction of a man forced to live on the edge.
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