Bangladesh were better than us in all 3 disciplines: Sammy

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy admitted that Bangladesh outplayed his side in all three departments, resulting in their 2-1 series defeat in the three-match ODI series in Mirpur.

Bangladesh posted a commanding 296-8 in the series-deciding third ODI on Thursday, courtesy of Soumya Sarkar and Saif Hassan's record-breaking 176-run opening partnership that set the tone for the hosts.

Soumya struck a fluent 91 off 86 balls, featuring seven fours and four sixes, while Saif made a brisk 80 off 72 deliveries with six fours and sixes apiece -- his maiden ODI fifty -- on a wicket where most other batters from both sides struggled to settle.

West Indies, who had levelled the series with a dramatic Super Over win in the second match, failed to offer any resistance this time as they were bowled out for just 117 in 30.1 overs, slumping to a crushing 179-run defeat.

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Although Sammy admitted that the Mirpur surface was challenging for his side, he acknowledged that Bangladesh adapted far better to the conditions and executed their plans more effectively.

"The wicket was new to us. We've never seen anything like it. But it's not like one team bats on one wicket and the other on another. We all had to play on it -- and that's where skills, mindset and temperament come in," Sammy told reporters after Thursday's match.

"Bangladesh were better than us in all three disciplines. In the first two games, it looked like they understood what a par score was. You could see their approach -- even if they were scoring in blocks of 10 or going at 2.5 an over, they knew if they kept wickets in hand and pushed in the last 10 overs, they'd get to a competitive total. They assessed conditions better and had the skill set to play smarter cricket than us," he added.

Sammy also praised the positive intent of Soumya and Saif, whose fearless batting he felt took the game away from his side. He emphasised that inconsistency and lack of mental readiness cost his team dearly in a crucial match.

"It's about mindset," he said. "We talked in the dressing room about what this game meant -- we're fighting for automatic qualification, with two teams battling for the last direct World Cup spot before the cutoff. It was a series decider. Your mindset must be -- I'm the one to make the difference.

"You saw Bangladesh's intent. Their batters decided to be brave on that wicket and set the tone early. That put us under pressure in the Powerplay, and we took too long to respond. We weren't consistent enough in the areas that would challenge their batters, and we paid heavily for it."

The former West Indies skipper further said he had no issue with Bangladesh using home advantage to strengthen their World Cup qualification chances, adding that it was up to them to develop the skill set required to perform in varying conditions.

"I'll tell you this -- I always want to have some home advantage," Sammy said. "I can't tell Bangladesh or their authorities what wicket to prepare. What I focus on is ensuring my team develops the skills to counter whatever they face abroad. This series was very important for both teams, and at home, you're supposed to do what you have to do to win.

"Whether that affects Bangladesh's development away from home, that's their concern. I'm not against it. I just think my players didn't play well enough throughout the series," he concluded.