Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Only Test Day 3 report: Najmul Hossain and Mominul Haque hit centuries as Bangladesh closed in on victory against Afghanistan after setting up an improbable 662-run target in the one-off test on Friday.
Najmul followed his 146 from the first innings with 124, making him the second Bangladesh batter to achieve hundreds in both innings of a test.
Mominul, the first Bangladeshi to the feat, raised his first century since April 2021 with an unbeaten 121 as they declared their second innings on 425-4.
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Afghanistan batted 11 overs to reach 45-2 when bad light brought a premature end to day three.
Afghanistan trailed by 617 runs with two days left and the task of rewriting the record books. A team with two new caps made 146 in the first innings.
To make matter worse, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi had to retire after being hit in the head by a bouncer from fast bowler Taskin Ahmed.
“Obviously a little bit sore, a little bit groggy,” Afghanistan coach Jonathon Trott said of Shahidi. “Our medical staff are really good and he’ll be in good hands. So, we hope he’s OK. It’s important the skipper is healthy and OK to lead the guys. I’m sure he will be.”
Afghanistan’s bowling attack struggled to create any chances on day three while the Bangladesh batters got enough loose deliveries to punish with ease after resuming on 134-1.
Opener Zakir Hasan scored 71 off 95 deliveries before perishing while going for a third run, ending a 173-run second-wicket partnership.
After playing in limited-overs style, Najmul completed his fourth test century off 115 balls, nudging occasional bowler Shahidi behind square for a single.
Left-arm wrist spinner Zahir Khan momentarily intervened in Bangladesh’s run-fest, taking two wickets in three balls.
After hitting 15 boundaries in his 151-ball knock, Najmul fell, clipping one to short midwicket. Veteran Mushfiqur Rahim miscued a reverse sweep, after hitting a six on the previous delivery.
Mominul and Liton Das then denied Afghanistan any more success, with the former guiding a short delivery by pacer Yamin Ahmadzai over the keeper for a boundary to reach his 12th century.
Liton, who was not out on 66 on his captaincy debut, earned his 19th half-century after hitting a boundary through fine leg against Zahir.
Bangladesh finally declared about an hour after tea after scoring its most runs in a test — 807 — and setting its highest target ever — 662.
Afghanistan’s dug itself into a deeper hole when opener Ibrahim Zadran was out leg before for a duck to the first ball of the chase by paceman Shoriful Islam.
In the second over, the other opener Abdul Malik edged Taskin behind for 5.
Shahidi had 13 from 14 balls when he was struck on the helmet ducking into a Taskin bouncer. A stretcher was brought out but he managed to walk off.
Rahmat Shah was 10 not out with Nasir Jamal on 5.
“We are working at trying to bat out the two days, which is going be tough,” Trott said. “And I thought the fight shown tonight by the two batsmen who are not out was good.”
With AP inputs
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