Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto led by example on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Dhaka. After losing two early wickets, the hosts were put under some pressure, but the captain took over the charge and scored a century to shift the momentum back. He was well supported by Mominul Haque, who made 91 runs before Noman Ali got the better of him.
Meanwhile, with the century, Shanto entered Bangladesh’s Test record books. He now surpassed Mushfiqur Rahim to hold the record for the most centuries by a Bangladesh captain in Test cricket history. The keeper-batter, who previously held the record, registered four tons in the longest format of the game, while Shanto now hit five. Mominul, in the meantime, is third with three.
The 170-run partnership rescues Bangladesh
After Bangladesh’s openers, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shadman Islam, departed 8 and 13 runs, respectively, Shanto and Momimul stitched a valuable partnership of 170 runs for the third wicket. The partnership steadily wore down Pakistan’s attack and allowed Bangladesh to recover complete control after the early collapse.
Mominul narrowly missed out on a century, but his innings and the partnership helped Bangladesh find momentum. It also allowed Shanto to play with freedom. After they departed, Mushfiqur and Litton Das took over the business as Bangladesh had advanced to 301 for 4, placing themselves in a strong position heading into the second day of the match.
Veteran batter Mushfiqur stayed unbeaten on 48 from 104 deliveries to end the day, while Litton was alongside him on 8 off 35 balls. With six wickets still available, Bangladesh will look to stretch the innings deep and target a first-innings total beyond 450.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Ebadot Hossain
Pakistan: Shan Masood (Captain), Imam-ul-Haq, Azan Awais, Abdullah Fazal, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Noman Ali, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas
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