• Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Zadran, Afghan pile more misery on Bangladesh

Photo courtesy: twitter/Afghanistan Cricket Board

By: LakshmiPS

Ibrahim Zadran and former skipper Asghar Afghan smashed half-centuries as Afghanistan continued to build on their huge first-innings lead in the one-off Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong on Saturday.

Debutant Zadran hit an unbeaten 82 while Afghan made 50 off 108 balls as the duo guided Afghanistan to 156-4 at tea on the third day, extending their 137-run first-innings lead to 293 runs.

Zadran and Afghan shared 108 runs for the fourth wicket after Bangladesh reduced Afghanistan to 28 for three early in the second innings thanks to skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who struck twice in the first over.

Shakib trapped Ihsanullah Janat for four in the third ball of the innings and then dismissed first-innings centurion Rahmat Shah for a golden duck in the next ball.

Afghan, who also made 92 runs in the first innings, joined Zadran after off-spinner Nayeem Hasan removed Hashmatullah Shahidi for 12.

Taijul Islam dismissed Afghan, who hit four fours and two sixes in his second fifty of the game, but Zadran showed great composure to pile more pressure on Bangladesh.

Skipper Rashid Khan earlier completed his five-wicket to finish with 5-55 as Afghanistan bowled out Bangladesh for 205 runs in the first innings after the hosts resumed the third day’s play with 194-8.

Rashid, who scored 51 runs with the bat making his debut as youngest-ever Test captain, took the final wicket of Nayeem to wrap up Bangladesh’s innings after Mohammad Nabi gave a breakthrough in the first over of the day.

Nabi bowled Taijul without allowing him to add any run to his overnight 14 before finishing with 3-56 runs.

Mosaddek Hossain was unbeaten on 48.

(AFP)

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