Afghanistan are in a commanding position with 237/8, after day three with a comprehensive lead of 374, Bangladesh need to create a new record to save the one-off Test match in Chattogram yesterday (Saturday). Now, a target close to 400-run margin is looming ahead. With two more days still remaining, Bangladesh will need to achieve the impossible as only thrice the 300-run mark were crossed in fourth innings on this ground. In fact, the highest fourth innings total at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium is 331.
This total was posted by Bangladesh against England back in 2010, Bangladesh lost that match by 181 runs. Second highest score on this ground is New Zealand’s successful run chase of 317 against Bangladesh back in 2008. The other one was Bangladesh’s 301 against India while chasing 414 in 2010. Therefore, Tigers certainly need to achieve a difficult but possible task of chasing a mammoth total if they want to avoid a shameful defeat against Afghanistan.
Afghanistan ended the third day in Chattogram as the happier team, by far. The 108-run stand between Asghar Afghan and Ibrahim Zadran set their second innings up, and Asghar passed fifty for the second time in the match. Ibrahim, meanwhile, played a 208-ball 87 before perishing. Earlier in the morning session, Bangladesh continued from their dismal first innings score of 194/8. However, they couldn’t add much and their innings ended at 205. Mosaddek Hossain, who was continuing his fight from day two, ran out of partners and remained unbeaten on 48.
Tigers were off to an electrifying start with the bowl during second innings as skipper Shakib Al Hasan picked up two quick wickets and sent Afghans on the back foot. He removed both Ihsanullah and last innings’ centurion Rahmat Shah in successive balls and was on a hat-trick. Nayeem Hasan added another blow by ousting Hashmatullah before launch break as Afghanistan managed 56/3 at launch.
However, after launch, Asghar Afghan and Ibrahim Zadran added 108 runs for the fourth wicket stand and took their team to a commanding position. Just before tea break, Taijul removed Asghar (50) to break the alliance and after tea Nayeem removed Zadran (87). However, it was too little too late for the Tigers as Afghanistan’s lead stretched past 300.
Afghan skipper Rashid Khan came in and tried to rub salt in Tigers wound as he thrashed 5 fours in Nayeem Hasan’s single over. However, Taijul rattled his stumps and made sure he couldn’t prolong his innings after a quick-fire 22-ball 24. Before Rashid’s departure, Mohammad Nabi (8) was dismissed by Miraz and just few over before the stumps, Shakib removed Qais Ahmed to get his third and Bangladesh’s final wicket of the day. Umpires called stumps half an hour early, because of power failure and low light.