Bangladesh tighten grip on Afghan Test after Hasan’s hat-trick

Hasan’s hat-trick was the most pivotal in those performances to take the side to the top before eighty plus knock from Mushfiqur Rahim and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto rounded off the day.

Bangladesh ended the day with overall lead of 329, after reaching 223-6 in its second innings at stumps.

Liton Das was batting on 5 with Mehidy Hasan Miraz yet to score as Bangladesh would look to have 400 plus lead next day.

After bowling out Afghanistan for 240 innings, following a pace-burst from Darwin Test hero Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh started the second innings watchfully. 

Tanzid Hasan Tamim who hammered 71 ball-83 in the previous innings, got a start to cherish again but failed to capitalize on it after being out for 31. His fellow opener Shadman Islam also was dismissed cheaply before Mominul Haque was out for 7 to leave Bangladesh at precarious 53-3.

With Afghanistan hinting to claw back into the contest, resistance from skipper Najmul  Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim took Bangladesh in advantageous position.

They combined for 159-run for the fourth wicket, with both missing out the deserved century.

Mushfiqur Rahim who made a duck in the first innings, vindicated the failure with 81 off 148, an innings featuring nine fours.

His dismissal ended the typical Test-like partnership, leaving Shanto to dig in deep.

However, the skipper too was out for 82 after hitting five fours in 191 balls.

But both of them ensured to keep Afghanistan players in the field for considerable time under scorching heat in a bid to take out their energy completely.

Yamin Ahmadzai and Zia-ur-Rahman took two wickets apiece for Afghanistan.

Earlier, Afghanistan was outclassed by a superb Hasan Mahmud who scripted Bangladesh’s memorable victory in Darwin a couple of months ago.

Hasan became the first Bangladeshi pacer to claim a hat-trick in Test to shatter Afghanistan’s hope to take the stranglehold of the match despite a stubborn 105 not out from captain Rahmat Shah. 

Hasan’s fiery bowling, complemented by Ebadot Hossain’s raw pace eventually triggered a collapse as Afghanistan lost six wickets for just 29 runs and  bowled out for 240 after resuming the day at 211-4, reports BSS.

Hasan finished with 5-55 while Ebadot returned figures of 4-56.