Photo: Collected
Bangladesh’s first innings ended after they added just 29 runs on the second day. In the one-off Test against Afghanistan, the team’s total stands at 346 for the loss of all their wickets. The highest score of 83 came from the bat of Tanzid Hasan, with the second highest, 67, from Shadman Islam.
The second day’s play began at 12 noon Bangladesh time on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The Tigers had ended the first day on 317 for 8.
Bangladesh won the toss on Friday and chose to bat. Although the first day began splendidly, its end brought no comfort. With a century stand between the two openers and half-centuries from both of them, Bangladesh were in control of the match in the first session. A sudden batting collapse came in the second session; the team fell into trouble after losing 3 wickets for just 4 runs. Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz later tried to turn things around with the bat, but the total at the end of the day was 317 for 8.
The two openers, Shadman Islam and Tanzid Hasan, were fluent from the start. Shadman was playing somewhat cautiously, while Tanzid was in an attacking mood. Going after the Afghan bowlers, he scored quickly and reached his half-century in just 41 balls. It is the second innings past fifty of his Test career; the previous one was a century in the Darwin Test against Australia.
At the other end, Shadman too was gradually building his innings. Early on he was given a life after offering a catch on five – Afghan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi failed to hold the catch at cover. Making the most of the chance, he built an important opening partnership with Tanzid.
Bangladesh’s hundred came up through the pair’s batting in just 18 overs. The team had last had a century opening partnership in November last year, in a Test against Ireland; this time it was seen again. The Tanzid-Shadman stand ended on 124. Leaving the stamp of his aggressive batting, Tanzid played a blistering innings of 83 off just 71 balls. Although he raised hopes of a century, he did not get to three figures in the end. He edged a delivery from Ismat Alam behind the wicket; wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil took that superb catch to end Tanzid’s innings.
Even with Tanzid’s departure, Bangladesh’s scoring rate did not drop much. The team finished the first session in a very good position on 134 for 1. Shadman was then unbeaten on 41, while Mominul Haque, having come to the crease, had added five runs.
There was no trouble scoring runs at the start of the second session either. Things began to change after Shadman departed for 67. The opener went for a pull off a chest-high short ball from Mohammad Saleem Safi but could not keep the ball down; Zia-ur-Rehman held the catch at square leg. Like Tanzid, Shadman too raised hopes of a century and went back soon after his half-century.
Mominul Haque and captain Najmul Hossain then tried to steady things somewhat. But as soon as Mominul departed for 39, Bangladesh’s batting fell apart quickly. Mominul was caught by Rahmat Shah at cover off the bowling of Yamin Ahmadzai. A little later, experienced batsman Mushfiqur Rahim was bowled by the same bowler, going back for nought. Captain Najmul Hossain was then out for 29 to spinner Qais Ahmad.
At one stage Bangladesh were 221 for 2. From there three more wickets fell for the addition of just 4 runs; the team fell into deep trouble after losing 5 wickets for 225. The Afghan bowlers fought back superbly during this period. The combination of the pacers’ line, length and pace and the spinners’ controlled bowling put the Bangladesh batsmen under pressure. The very team that had looked quite confident in the first session lost quick wickets and largely handed control of the match to the opposition.
In that situation Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz tried to take charge; their partnership brought an important 42 runs. Miraz, however, could not build a big innings either. A delivery from Ismat Alam outside off stump took his bat and struck the stumps, and he had to go back for 24. After that Litton became Bangladesh’s hope.
Litton had long been waiting for a big innings. Although he played somewhat slowly at the start on the day, he later found his rhythm and completed his half-century by hitting a four off Mohammad Saleem Safi. Having been dismissed for nought in his previous three innings, this fifty was a relief for him. But the wicketkeeper-batsman did not last long after his half-century; he lofted a catch off Saleem Safi and returned to the dressing room for 53.
After Litton’s departure, Bangladesh’s innings came under even greater pressure. Although the team passed three hundred, uncertainty arose then about how far they could go. Staying at the wicket late on, Nayeem Hasan and Taijul Islam took the team to 317. As both were unbeaten at the end of the day, Bangladesh have the chance to carry the innings further on the second day.
Tanzid and Shadman’s batting had created the prospect of a big total in the first session, but Afghanistan came back into the match in the next two sessions. Having taken eight Bangladesh wickets, the visitors ended the day with relief. Bangladesh’s aim will be to add as many runs as possible with the last two wickets on the second day, so that a fighting total can be put up 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.
