|| CF Correspondent || 

West Indies saved Bangladesh from humiliation as their win over Afghanistan in the one-off Test in Lucknow resisted Tigers downfall in the ICC ranking.

Bangladesh’s woeful performance on the field in Test cricket had an impact on their rankings, with the Tigers staring at a demotion had newcomers Afghanistan pulled off a victory in their one-off Test against West Indies, in Lucknow, India.

Rahkeem Cornwall, who bagged a 10-wicket haul in the game, and Shamarh Brooks, who scored his maiden Test ton, were the stars of West Indies' comprehensive victory against Afghanistan in the one-off Test in Lucknow, although both didn't have any role to play on Friday (November 29). Having bowled out Afghanistan for 120 in the second innings, West Indies had a target of only 31 which they reached without much fuss to register a nine-wicket victory.

After their humiliating 0-2 loss against India in the two-Test series, where they failed to make India bat twice in both the matches, Bangladesh currently stand unchanged at number nine in the Test rankings with 61 rating points.

Afghanistan, who have just played three matches in the longest format since earning their Test status in 2017 along with Ireland, are breathing down Bangladesh’s necks, with 55 rating points to stand in tenth position in the 12-team rankings.

If Afghanistan managed to secure a win against the Caribbean, it would have taken their rating point to 74, meaning they will overtake Bangladesh and the Tigers will be pushed to number 10 in the Test rankings.

If the match ended in a draw both Bangladesh and Afghanistan will stand on 61 points but Afghanistan will still go ahead by a fraction.

It meant only a West Indies win could keep Bangladesh ahead of Afghanistan in Tests, a format they had entered 19 years back, when Afghanistan didn’t even had an official cricket team and the Caribbean managed to do it.

Afghanistan was high on confidence going into the contest, as they won the preceding three-match Twenty20 series 2-1 and have made good headway in their short time in cricket’s oldest format, having displayed matured performance both with bat and ball, something Bangladesh are still searching for.

However, West Indies took less than 30 minutes to wrap up Afghanistan's second innings on the third morning, with skipper Jason Holder bagging all three remaining wickets. On a gloomy morning with floodlights turned on at the Ekana Cricket Stadium.

West Indies' dominance in the Test was set up by Cornwall, who picked up 7 for 75 in the first essay to restrict Afghanistan to 187. The Caribbean side were in a spot of bother at 150 for 5 when Brooks came to his team's rescue with a knock of 111 that helped them post 277. Cornwall continued his good run in the game with a three-wicket haul in the second innings, with Roston Chase and Holder also having similar returns that contributed towards West Indies' facile win and an early finish.

Since their emergence as the tenth Test playing nation in 2000, Bangladesh have failed to show any consistent development, with patches of good performance being intertwined with long hauls of embarrassing displays.

In January, 2006, Bangladesh earned their first promotion in Test team rankings, going one place up to number nine, but not owing to their performance but because of the turmoil going on Zimbabwe cricket, which prompted them to go into self-exile from Tests.