Bangladesh crush Ireland by innings and 47 runs in Sylhet Test opener

Bangladesh delivered a commanding performance to defeat Ireland cricket team by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test of their 2025 tour, wrapping up victory on November 15, 2025, at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The hosts declared their only innings at 587 for 4, while Ireland cricket team, still finding its footing in Test cricket, collapsed for 286 and 254 across two innings. The result wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. For Ireland, a side that’s played only 10 Tests in seven years, it’s another sobering chapter in a journey marked by grit but little reward. They lost their first seven Tests before winning three straight—two of them away from home—but this one felt different. The margin was too wide. The dominance too complete.

How Bangladesh Took Control

The match unfolded like a masterclass in patience and power. On Day 2, Shadman Islam carved out an elegant 80 off 104 balls, anchoring Bangladesh’s reply after they’d been bowled out for 146 on Day 1. His knock, laced with crisp drives and precise placement, turned the tide. By lunch on Day 3, Ireland were already 215 runs behind. What followed was a slow, relentless dismantling. Bangladesh cricket team didn’t rush. They didn’t need to. The pitch, slow and low, rewarded discipline. And when the spinners came on, Ireland’s top order, already fragile, folded like paper.

Fielding played its part too. Shanto’s direct hit to dismiss Andrew Balbirnie was a moment of pure instinct. Shadman Islam made a diving catch at slip that drew gasps from the crowd. And Tector’s one-handed grab at gully? That was the kind of moment that haunts visiting teams for weeks. Ireland’s bowlers, meanwhile, looked exhausted by the third day. No one could match Bangladesh’s intensity.

Ireland’s Struggle in Test Cricket

Let’s be clear: Ireland isn’t a weak team. They’re just new. And Test cricket doesn’t forgive inexperience. Since gaining Test status in 2017, they’ve played just 10 matches. Seven losses. Three wins. Two of those wins came in Zimbabwe and against Afghanistan in the UAE—both on pitches that favored their style. Sylhet, however, was a different beast. It didn’t offer bounce, it didn’t offer pace. It offered nothing but pressure. And Ireland, lacking the depth and experience to handle it, crumbled.

Andy McBrine’s 52 off 106 balls on Day 4 was their only real resistance. He batted for over three hours, the kind of innings that deserves respect. But it wasn’t enough. Not when Bangladesh’s middle order—led by Mominul Haque’s 184 and Tamim Iqbal’s 121—had already laid waste to the scoreboard. Ireland’s captain, Andy Balbirnie, admitted after the match: “We didn’t have answers. Their spinners were too good. We didn’t adapt.”

Where to Watch and How It Was Covered

For fans, the match was accessible across platforms. Star Sports Live carried the TV broadcast in South Asia. Digital viewers turned to Fancode App Live, India’s premier sports streaming hub with over 10 million downloads and a 4.2-star rating. Fancode didn’t just stream—it delivered real-time stats, player heat maps, and highlight reels that went viral. Their mobile app even tracked Shadman Islam’s strike rate minute-by-minute.

On YouTube, Chandan Commentary offered live audio coverage with match-by-match analysis, while T Sports streamed Day 4 in full, branding itself as “Your Home of Live Sports Action.” Their Dhaka-based operations, headquartered at Plot-371/A, Block-D, Bashundhara R/A, made the broadcast feel local, grounded. And of course, Cricket Ireland Live’s official YouTube channel kept Irish fans connected with live blogs, post-match interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage.

What’s Next? The Dhaka Decider

The second Test begins November 19, 2025, at the Dhaka Cricket Stadium. Play starts daily at 9:30 AM Bangladesh time. For Ireland, it’s a chance to redeem themselves. For Bangladesh, it’s about cementing their status as a force in Asia. No one expects a repeat of Sylhet’s massacre—but a win here would mean Bangladesh have now won six of their last seven home Tests. That’s not luck. That’s dominance.

Cricket Ireland’s website confirms the schedule. No changes. No delays. Just a long flight from Sylhet to Dhaka—and a lot of work ahead for the Irish team.