Brandon King's unbeaten 81 off 115 balls anchored West Indies' eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first Test at Mirpur. The knock is now the highest individual score by a West Indies batter in a successful fourth-innings chase against Bangladesh, surpassing Chris Gayle's 37* from 2002.
Match Context: A 170-Run Chase in Mirpur
West Indies completed the chase of 170 on the fourth day, October 31, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The win gives the visitors a 1-0 lead in the series.
Jomel Warrican was the standout bowler with nine wickets in the match. King's contribution with the bat, however, shaped how comfortably the target was reached.
Match Summary| Metric | Detail |
|---|
| Venue | Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur |
| Target | 170 runs |
| Result | West Indies won by 8 wickets |
| Series status | West Indies lead 1-0 |
| Warrican match wickets | 9 |
King's Innings by the Numbers
Scoring Rate and Boundary Share
King scored 81* off 115 deliveries, a strike rate of 70.43. He hit 10 fours and one six, which accounts for 46 of his 81 runs, or roughly 57 percent, in boundaries.
His half-century arrived in 68 balls. He then scored the remaining 31 runs off 47 deliveries, a strike rate of about 66, while finishing the chase unbeaten.
Brandon King, Second Innings Metrics| Metric | Value |
|---|
| Runs | 81* |
| Balls faced | 115 |
| Strike rate | 70.43 |
| Fours | 10 |
| Sixes | 1 |
| Boundary runs | 46 (about 57%) |
| Balls to fifty | 68 |
Contrast With the First Innings
King managed 15 off 20 balls in the first innings before Hasan Mahmud dismissed him. His strike rate there was 75.00, but he could not convert the start.
The second-innings score of 81* is 5.4 times his first-innings total. It also came with a lower strike rate, which suggests a more measured approach under chase conditions.
Breaking Chris Gayle's Benchmark
Chris Gayle's unbeaten 37 in 2002 had stood as the highest individual score by a West Indies batter in a successful fourth-innings chase against Bangladesh. King's 81* exceeds it by 44 runs, more than double the previous mark.
John Campbell's 49 in the same chase moves into second place on the list. Both of the top two scores therefore came in a single innings.
Highest Individual Scores in Successful Fourth-Innings Chases vs Bangladesh (West Indies)| Rank | Batter | Score |
|---|
| 1 | Brandon King | 81* |
| 2 | John Campbell | 49 |
| 3 | Chris Gayle | 37* |
| 4 | Wavell Hinds | 26 |
| 5 | Kraigg Brathwaite | 20 |
| 6 | Kieran Powell | 9* |
The Opening Partnership
King and Campbell added 112 runs for the first wicket, which accounted for about 66 percent of the 170-run target. Campbell made 49 off 55 balls, a strike rate of 89.09.
After Campbell's dismissal, King continued to bat with control. That platform meant the middle order faced a required total of only 58 runs.
Opening Stand Breakdown| Batter | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate |
|---|
| John Campbell | 49 | 55 | 89.09 |
| Brandon King (at stand end) | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Partnership | 112 | Not specified | Not specified |
Recovery From a Difficult Test Run
King's previous Test assignment was the tour of Pakistan in July-August 2026. He scored 63 runs in the series at an average of 15.75, with scores of 12 and 5 in the first Test and 46 before an injury ruled him out.
The Mirpur innings alone is 18 runs more than his entire output in Pakistan. It also lifts his recent returns well above that series average.
King's Recent Test Form| Series | Runs | Average | Best Score |
|---|
| Pakistan tour, July-August 2026 | 63 | 15.75 | 46 |
| Bangladesh, 1st Test (second innings) | 81* | Not applicable | 81* |
Analytical Takeaway
The record owes as much to the chase structure as to individual quality. A 112-run opening stand and a patient 70-plus strike rate reduced the target quickly.
For West Indies selectors, the innings offers a data point in King's favour after a modest series in Pakistan. With the series at 1-0, a similar opening platform in the second Test would strengthen the visitors' position further.