I could not take risk; I played for runs: Mehidy said after the defeat

At Warner Park in St. Kitts, West Indies defeated Bangladesh by 5 wickets with 14 balls to spare, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Sherfane Rutherford played a match-winning innings, scoring 113 runs off 80 balls, including 8 sixes and 7 fours. This victory ended West Indies' 11-match losing streak against Bangladesh in ODIs.

Bangladesh's captain, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, top-scored for his team with 74 runs. He took 101 balls to reach his total, with a slow strike rate of 73.26. Although Miraz was the highest scorer for his side, his innings was far from aggressive. Despite being dropped twice, he was unable to accelerate, playing conservatively for the team’s cause.

Reflecting on his innings and the team's performance, Miraz stated, "The century was never an issue for me, and my goal was to take the team to a good position. I focused on making runs and trying to set a solid total before the 40th over, as I felt that posting over 300 runs would be good for us."

Explaining his slow approach, Miraz said, "When I came in, two set batters got out. Tanjid Tamim and Afif both got out after building partnerships. I couldn’t take risks because I knew the new batsmen would face pressure. I tried to continue and take responsibility when Riyad bhai (Mahmudullah) was set."

Miraz praised the finishing efforts of Mahmudullah Riyad and Zaker Ali Anik, saying, "The way Zaker Ali and Riyad bhai finished was outstanding, and without their efforts, the total could have been lower. But as a batting unit, we played well."

With this 5-wicket victory, West Indies lead the series 1-0. The second match of the series will be held at the same venue on Tuesday.