Akeal was not part of the original West Indies ODI squad and was watching the first game from home. The unusually dark Mirpur pitch, almost jet black on screen became a viral talking point on social media, with fans joking about its odd look.
Speaking after the second ODI, Akeal recalled his first reaction when he tuned in to watch that game.
“I turned on my TV and the first thing I did was check if it was broken,” Akeal laughed. “The pitch looked completely black. I thought, ‘Something’s definitely wrong with my TV.’ It was quite a surprise, to be honest.”
Recognizing the spin-friendly conditions, West Indies flew Akeal in on short notice. After a long journey, he arrived at the team hotel in Mirpur around 4 a.m. on Tuesday and by afternoon, he was already on the field.
Despite the exhaustion, Akeal played a key role in the dramatic second ODI.
He bowled his full 10 overs for 41 runs and picked up 2 wickets, then came out at No. 10 to score 16 off 17 balls.
In the Super Over, despite bowling two wides and a no-ball, he held his nerve to defend 11 runs and seal a one-run win for West Indies, leveling the series 1–1.
