'Something wrong with TV': Akeal's reaction to black Mirpur pitch in first ODI

West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein had a frenetic 24 hours. Having only been included in the ODI squad yesterday, he arrived late at 2:30 am Bangladesh time and took some time to finally check in at the team hotel. By the afternoon today, he was already opening the Windies' bowling innings, and in a match that had a bit of everything -- except much pace bowling -- Akeal not only sealed the Super Over win to level the three-match series but also added a few witty quips to the charm of the contest.

He even bowled a no-ball in the Super Over, but his execution ultimately made the difference as Bangladesh fell one run short, chasing the Windies' 10 runs.

"I don't think I have anything left in me, buddy," Akeal said of his whirlwind 24 hours. "Got to the hotel at 4 a.m. But it's part of the job, and once you commit to something and once you give your word, you better be ready to turn up and give 100%. No excuses. I almost messed it up, but thankfully, you know, I took the team home in the end," he added.

The wicket has been at the centre of debate in this ODI series, with the black soil making it a hot topic of discussion. Spinners, however, can dominate games on such surfaces. Akeal was asked whether he had watched the first match on TV and wondered why he was not part of the side.

"No, not really. I turned my TV on -- the first thing I did was check it, because I thought there was something wrong with it. I thought the colour had gone or something like that.

"The pitch was black, and I was like, 'Surely something is wrong with my television.' And yeah, it was surprising. But for me, I didn't have those thoughts of, you know, 'Why am I not in the team?'

"I believe the selectors and the people in charge are the ones to make those decisions. And as I said, for me, it's just about enjoying every match, performing to the best of my ability, and leaving the rest up to the selectors and whoever has to do that particular job," he said.

Asked whether such surfaces as those being served in Mirpur were conducive to good cricket, he was straightforward.

"We just broke our record today -- 50 overs of spin. So you tell me, where in the world have you seen that? Lovely match, exciting, you know, it was nail-biting, but I'll leave it at that," he said, implying that while the match was entertaining, the wicket was not ideal for cricket.

With the West Indies drawing level, the biggest factor heading into the series-deciding third ODI would be the confidence boost for the visitors after such a tight game.

"These wins do a lot for the team. You know, it brings everyone together, it makes everyone believe. And at the end of the day, a win is a win. I think these wins -- that you scrape and fight as a unit to get over the line -- can only do wonders for the team, and hopefully, it does just that in the last game for us," he said.