Photo: Collected
At the time of writing this report, Bangladesh’s total in the Abu Dhabi Test stood at 320 for 8 in 85 overs. The Tigers are batting on the second day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan. The match began at 12 noon Bangladesh time on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Nayeem Hasan and Taijul Islam are at the crease; Nayeem is on 13 and Taijul on 5. Earlier, on Friday, Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bat. Despite a superb start, the end of the first day was not a comfortable one for the side. In the first session control was entirely in Bangladesh’s hands – the two openers put on a century stand, and both also reached half-centuries. But in the second session a sudden batting collapse, in which 3 wickets fell within just 4 runs, landed the side in trouble. Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz then tried to turn things around; the Tigers ended the day on 317 for 8.
Shadman Islam and Tanzid Hasan batted fluently from the start of the innings. Of the two openers, Shadman was somewhat cautious and Tanzid aggressive. Tanzid went after the Afghan bowlers and scored quickly; his half-century came off just 41 balls. It was his second innings of fifty or more in Tests. Earlier, he had scored a century against Australia in the Darwin Test.
At the other end Shadman, too, extended his innings little by little. He did, however, offer a catch once when on five; he got a life as Afghan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi failed to hold it at cover. It was by making use of that life that his important opening stand with Tanzid took shape.
Bangladesh’s hundred came up in just 18 overs, off the bats of the two openers. The side saw a century opening stand again for the first time since the Test against Ireland in November last year. Shadman and Tanzid eventually added 124 runs. Tanzid’s blistering innings was one of 83 runs, off just 71 balls; the whole innings bore the stamp of aggressive batting. Despite raising hopes of a century, he could not take the innings to three figures. His innings ended with a superb catch behind the wicket by wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil off the bowling of Ismat Alam.
Even with Tanzid out, the scoring rate did not dip much. At the end of the first session Bangladesh were in quite a good position – 134 for 1. Shadman was unbeaten on 41 at that point. Mominul Haque, who had come to the crease, had five runs against his name.
There was no problem in scoring at the start of the second session either. But the situation began to change with Shadman’s departure for 67. The short ball from Mohammad Saleem Safi was at chest height; attempting to pull, the opener could not keep the ball down. Zia-ur-Rehman, stationed at square leg, held the catch. Shadman, too, had raised the prospect of a century, but like Tanzid he also had to return after a half-century.
Later Mominul Haque, along with captain Najmul Hossain, tried to steady the situation somewhat. But once Mominul went for 39, Bangladesh’s batting fell apart quickly. Mominul was caught at cover by Rahmat Shah; the bowler was Yamin Ahmadzai. A short while later the same bowler bowled experienced batsman Mushfiqur Rahim, who could not score a run – he went back for a duck. Then captain Najmul Hossain was out to spinner Qais Ahmad, having made 29.
From 221 for 2, Bangladesh lost three more wickets with just 4 runs added. With 5 wickets down for 225, the side fell into deep trouble. It was at this time that the Afghan bowlers staged a superb comeback. The pacers, with line, length and pace, and the spinners, with controlled bowling, put Bangladesh’s batsmen under pressure. The side that had looked quite confident in the first session lost quick wickets and handed much of the control of the match to the opposition.
At such a time Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz tried to steady the ship. An important 42 runs came from their partnership. Miraz, too, could not build a big innings – he stopped on 24 when a ball from Ismat Alam outside off stump touched the bat and hit the stumps. After that Litton became the side’s hope.
Litton’s wait for a big innings has been a long one. Although he started a little slowly on this day, he later found his rhythm. He reached his half-century by hitting Mohammad Saleem Safi for four. Having been out for nought in each of his previous three innings, the fifty brought Litton relief. But he could not last much longer after that; the wicketkeeper-batsman offered a catch off Saleem Safi’s bowling and returned to the dressing room for 53.
Litton’s dismissal increased the pressure on Bangladesh’s innings further. Even though the total had passed three hundred, uncertainty arose then over how far the innings would go. In the closing stages Nayeem Hasan and Taijul Islam held on at the wicket and took the side’s total to 317. Both were unbeaten at the end of the day, so on the second day Bangladesh have the chance to take the innings further.
Although Shadman and Tanzid raised the prospect of a big total in the first session, Afghanistan came back into the match in the next two sessions. At the end of the day the visitors are relieved, because they have taken eight Bangladesh wickets. Bangladesh, on the other hand, will want to add as many runs as possible with the last two wickets on the second day, so that a fighting total can be had in the first innings.
Bangladesh XI: Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam and Ebadot Hossain.
Afghanistan XI: Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah (captain), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Zia-ur-Rehman, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai, Qais Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem Safi and Ismat Alam.
