Mithun: Gabriel absence gives Tigers advantage for 2nd Test

Cricket365
November 26, 2018

Bangladesh batsman Mohammad Mithun believes the absence of West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel from the second Test will be a big advantage to the Tigers.

Gabriel is suspended for the second game of the series, starting in Dhaka on Friday, because his accumulated demerit points reached the amount of five within a 24-month period.

The paceman received the sanction after his inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with Bangladesh opener Imrul Kayes on the first day of the opening Test.

Gabriel took four wickets in 18 balls in the first innings of the first Test to spark a Tigers batting collapse even though the hosts recovered to win the game in the end.

His suspension though will be a sigh of relief to Bangladesh as he was also their chief tormentor in the Caribbean earlier this year.

Mithun, who scored 20 and 17 in the first Test, said: “Gabriel bowled really well even on a flat wicket. He took the vital wickets.

“Kemar Roach is effective with the new ball. But he is not as effective as Gabriel with the old ball. Of course, we’ll have an advantage.

“West Indies are good as a team, there is no question in it. We have to play our best cricket to do well against them.

“It’s not like we’ll win against them even if we play badly. Every international team is strong, so we’ll have to play at our level best to achieve [good] results there [in the international arena].”

The teams will also play three ODIs and three T20Is after the Test series concludes.