United News of Bangladesh

Litton Das broke Bangladesh’s record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a Test match, finishing with eight in the one-off Test against Afghanistan as the hosts faced a daunting chase of 479 runs. Litton surpassed Khaled Mashud’s previous national record of seven dismissals, set against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2004. His record came on a day when he also scored a century to help Bangladesh strengthen their grip on the match. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 102 off 115 balls in Bangladesh’s second innings, his seventh Test century. He shared a 159-run seventh-wicket partnership with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who remained unbeaten on 52, as Bangladesh declared at 372 for seven to set Afghanistan a target of 479. Litton also scored 53 in the first innings, when Bangladesh made 346. Afghanistan replied with 240, giving the visitors a first-innings lead of 106. His eighth dismissal came when he caught Rahmat Shah behind the stumps late on the fourth day. Rahmat, who scored a century in Afghanistan’s first innings, made 51 in the second before edging Ebadot Hossain to Litton. Ebadot took two wickets in Afghanistan’s second innings, including Abdul Malik with his first ball, while Hasan Mahmud claimed one. Afghanistan ended the day at 132 for three, needing another 347 runs to win. Litton’s performance combined a significant individual batting milestone with a national wicketkeeping record, putting him at the centre of Bangladesh’s push for victory. Bangladesh need seven wickets on the final day to secure the win, while Afghanistan face a steep challenge to complete what will be a record-breaking chase in Test cricket.

Bangladesh need seven wickets on the final day to beat Afghanistan in the one-off Test after setting them a target of 479 runs in Abu Dhabi. Afghanistan reached 132 for three at stumps on the fourth day, needing another 347 runs to win the match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. Bangladesh took two early wickets before Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal steadied the innings with a partnership of 82 runs for the third wicket. Ebadot Hossain broke the stand late in the day, dismissing Rahmat for 51 off 124 balls with a catch behind by wicketkeeper Litton Das. Atal was unbeaten on 35 at the close, with Afghanistan still facing a formidable chase. Bangladesh declared their second innings at 372 for seven after Litton struck a century and Mehidy Hasan Miraz scored a half-century. They took a first-innings lead of 106 runs after being bowled out for 346 and dismissing Afghanistan for 240. Litton scored 102 off 115 balls, his seventh Test century, while Miraz remained unbeaten on 52 in the second innings. Mushfiqur Rahim and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto earlier laid the foundation with 81 and 82, respectively. Litton and Miraz added 159 runs for the seventh wicket, ensuring Bangladesh built a substantial lead before the declaration. Litton reached his century with a boundary off Qais Ahmad but fell in the following over to a bouncer from Selim Safi, prompting Shanto to declare the innings. Afghanistan’s chase began poorly as Ebadot dismissed Abdul Malik for two with his first ball in the second innings. Hasan Mahmud then removed Shahidullah Kamal for 19, leaving them at 28 for two. Ebadot, who also claimed 50 Test wickets during the match, finished the day with two wickets for 32 runs. Hasan took one for 31 as Bangladesh’s pace attack made early inroads before Rahmat and Atal resisted. Litton also set a Bangladesh record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a Test match, reaching eight in the game and surpassing Khaled Mashud’s previous mark of seven. Bangladesh will resume on the final day needing seven wickets to seal victory, while Afghanistan must score 347 runs to pull off an unlikely win.

Bangladesh took control of the one-off Test against Afghanistan on Sunday. The Tigers extended their lead to 329 runs at stumps on the third day with four wickets in hand. Fast bowler Hasan Mahmud stole the spotlight in the morning, taking a hat-trick as Afghanistan collapsed from 211-4 overnight to 240 all out. Hasan finished with 5-55, while Ebadot Hossain claimed four wickets. Hasan became the first Bangladesh fast bowler to take a Test hat-trick and the third Bangladeshi overall to achieve the feat. Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah scored 105 not out, becoming the first player to score a century on his Test captaincy debut against Bangladesh. Holding a 106-run first-innings lead, Bangladesh lost openers Sadman Islam (13) and Mominul Haque (7) before lunch. Tanzid Hasan made 31 but fell after the break, leaving Bangladesh at 53-3. Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto then steadied the innings with a 159-run partnership. Both scored 80s, with Mushfiq making 81 and Najmul 82, but neither converted his start into a century. Bangladesh suffered a late collapse, losing three wickets in five overs before stumps. Hasan was dismissed for a duck, leaving the hosts at 297-6. Despite the late setbacks, Bangladesh remain firmly in control, with a big lead and four wickets in hand heading into the fourth day.

Sobhana Mostary scored 118 against Australia in Brisbane on Sunday, becoming the first Bangladeshi woman to make a one-day century against them. She defended a ball from Annabel Sutherland and set off for the single that took her to 100. She raised her bat and hugged her captain, Nigar Sultana, at the other end. Bangladesh were 8 for 3 after 7.2 overs in the second match of the three-game series. Mostary and Sultana steadied the innings, adding 195 runs from 243 balls. Mostary reached fifty in 66 balls and a hundred in 124. Sultana finished on 74 not out. Bangladesh made 220 for 6 in its 50 overs. In six earlier one-day matches against Australia, home and away, it had never reached 200. In the first match of this series, it made 153. Mostary is the eighth batter to score a century against Australia in Australia, and the third Bangladeshi woman with a one-day century, after Farzana Hoque, who has two, and Sultana, who has one. Megan Schutt bowled her for 118, off 134 balls, with 18 fours.  

Hasan Mahmud has become the first Bangladesh fast bowler to take a hat-trick in Test cricket, picking three wickets in three consecutive balls against Afghanistan on the third day of the one-off Test on Sunday in Abu Dhabi. Hasan dismissed Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad and Zia-ur-Rehman in the 83rd over at Zayed Cricket Stadium, becoming only the second Bangladesh bowler to achieve the feat in the longest format of cricket. The 26-year-old ended a 13-year wait for Bangladesh’s third Test hat-trick, following off-spinner Sohag Gazi’s achievement against New Zealand in Chattogram in October 2013. Before them, Alok Kapali recorded the first hat-trick for Bangladesh in Test cricket. It came against Pakistan in 2003. Hasan first bowled Ismat for one with a delivery that moved back into the batter and passed beneath his bat. He then induced an outside edge from Qais, who was caught by wicketkeeper Litton Das diving to his right. Zia was trapped lbw on the next ball. The on-field umpire initially rejected the appeal, but Bangladesh reviewed the decision, and ball-tracking confirmed the delivery would have hit the stumps. The hat-trick left Afghanistan struggling at 220 for eight in 82.5 overs, trailing Bangladesh’s first-innings total of 346 by 126 runs. Rahmat Shah was holding Afghanistan’s innings together with 86, but Hasan’s burst dealt a major blow to their hopes of closing the gap. Hasan had taken four wickets for 39 runs in 17.5 overs, while fellow fast bowler Ebadot Hossain claimed three for 52 as Bangladesh tightened their grip on the match.

Afghanistan reached 211 for four at stumps on the second day of the one-off Test against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, trailing by 135 runs after a strong batting effort led by Rahmat Shah. Rahmat was unbeaten on 84 and Ikram Alikhil on 24, with the pair adding 72 runs for the fifth wicket to frustrate Bangladesh’s bowlers late in the day. Afghanistan had reached 131 for two at tea but lost two wickets in the final session. Abdul Malik, who scored 62, was caught behind off Ebadot Hossain to end a 70-run partnership with Rahmat. Mehedi Hasan Miraz then dismissed captain Hashmatullah Shahidi for a two-ball duck, leaving Afghanistan at 156 for four. But Bangladesh could not make further inroads as Rahmat and Ikram batted through the final session, putting together an unbroken stand of 72 from 194 balls. Earlier, Bangladesh added 29 runs to their overnight total of 317 for eight before being bowled out for 346 in 92.3 overs. Nayeem Hasan top-scored among the lower order with an unbeaten 35, while Taijul Islam made nine. Bangladesh had made a strong start on Friday, with Tanzid Hasan scoring 83 and Shadman Islam 67 in an opening stand of 124. But the innings faltered after the pair departed, with Bangladesh losing three wickets for four runs to slip from 221 for two to 225 for five. Litton Das scored 53 and Mehedi Hasan Miraz made 24, but Afghanistan’s bowlers prevented Bangladesh from building a bigger total. Mohammad Salim Safi took four wickets for 82 runs, while Yamin Ahmadzai claimed three for 79. Afghanistan’s reply began cautiously, and Hasan Mahmud gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough by dismissing Sediqullah Atal for 17. Ebadot then removed Shahidullah Kamal for 20, with Hasan taking a fine catch in the deep. Malik and Rahmat steadied the innings with a third-wicket stand before Ebadot broke through again. Malik’s 62 was his maiden Test half-century. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain had elected to bat after winning the toss, saying the dry pitch and hot conditions could make batting more difficult in the fourth innings. Afghanistan will resume on Sunday with six wickets in hand, looking to close the 135-run gap and put pressure on Bangladesh in the remaining days of the match.

Bangladesh recovered from a dramatic middle-order collapse to reach 317 for eight on the opening day of their one-off test against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Friday. After winning the toss and electing to bat at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh made an excellent start through openers Tanzid Hasan and Shadman Islam, who put on 124 runs for the first wicket. Tanzid led the charge with an aggressive 83 off 71 balls, while Shadman contributed 67. The opening partnership raised hopes of a substantial first-innings total before Tanzid fell to Ismat Alam, caught behind. Shadman's dismissal at 184 for two triggered a collapse. Mominul Haque made 39 before falling, and Bangladesh lost three wickets for just four runs to slump from 221 for two to 225 for five. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 29, while Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed for a duck. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das then steadied the innings with a 62-run partnership, helping Bangladesh recover from the setback. Miraz made 19 before being bowled by Ismat Alam, while Litton reached his half-century before falling for 50. Bangladesh crossed the 300-run mark but remained in a precarious position at 303 for seven after 79 overs. For Afghanistan, Mohammad Saleem was the best bowler, taking three wickets. Yamin Ahmadzai and Ismat Alam bagged two wickets each for them.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain won the toss and elected to bat against Afghanistan in the one-off Test at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Najmul said the dry pitch and hot conditions could make batting more difficult in the second innings. Bangladesh named an 11-man side featuring three specialist batters at the top of the order, with Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das adding experience to the middle order. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan and Taijul Islam lead the spin options, while Hasan Mahmud and Ebadot Hossain provide the pace attack. The match marks Bangladesh’s first Test at a neutral venue. Afghanistan, meanwhile, are playing their sixth Test in the current three-year period. Teams must play at least eight Tests in three years to qualify for the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings, leaving Afghanistan needing two more matches to meet the requirement. Despite their absence from the rankings, Afghanistan could pose a stern challenge to Bangladesh in the contest. Bangladesh XI: Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam and Ebadot Hossain.

Bangladesh captain Liton Das has ruled out resigning from the captaincy after the team’s Asian Games campaign ended without a medal.  He acknowledged that his own performance and the team’s overall cricket were below the standard. Bangladesh had arrived at the Games with a medal target but lost to Pakistan before suffering another heavy defeat by Sri Lanka, which ended their campaign without a podium finish. Asked whether he felt responsible for the failures and whether he would resign, Liton said he had not performed well in either match but saw no reason to step down. “My performance was not up to the mark. I could not perform well in both matches,” Liton said at the post-match press conference. But when asked directly if he wanted to resign, he replied: “No, I don’t want to resign. There are ups and downs in cricket. One day will be good, one day will be bad. There is nothing to resign for.” Liton made two runs in Bangladesh’s first match and was dismissed for a duck against Sri Lanka. He also accepted that Bangladesh had failed to make the most of an opportunity at the Asian Games. “It is very bad,” he said. “We came here with a big target. When that did not happen, there was another option. We had an opportunity, but we missed it. We could not play good cricket, that’s why we missed the opportunities.” Bangladesh’s captain said the team’s bowling had initially put them in a good position against Sri Lanka before an opposing batter produced an exceptional innings that changed the game. “We bowled very well in the first eight overs,” Liton said. “Then you saw how a batter played shots on this wicket. It was very difficult, but he batted extraordinarily. Our bowlers did not get any clue about how to come back.” The batting, he said, was not good enough to recover from the situation. “Batting-wise, we were not up to the mark today,” Liton said. The result means Bangladesh leave the Asian Games without the medal they had hoped to win through cricket. Liton said the disappointment was natural for both the team and himself as captain. “When you come from the country with a big target and cannot deliver that as a team, as a captain, everyone will feel bad,” he said. “Feeling bad is natural.”

Pakistan need 212 runs to beat India and win the men's cricket gold medal at the Asian Games after India posted 211-6 in their 20 overs on Friday. India, who were sent in to bat first, were led by opener Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 61 off 28 balls. Tilak Varma provided a late boost with an unbeaten 51 off 22 balls, while Shiv Dube added 27 from 18 deliveries, including two fours and two sixes. Arafat Minhas and Ahmed Daniyal took two wickets each for Pakistan. Minhas and Abrar Ahmed were Pakistan's most economical bowlers, conceding 8.33 and 7.25 runs per over, respectively. Pakistan made a positive start to their chase, reaching 11-0 after the opening over. Jasprit Bumrah began the innings with a no-ball but quickly recovered to keep opener Sahibzada Farhan under pressure with two dot balls. However, Bumrah overstepped again, and this time Pakistan's Sadaqat Hussain took advantage by hitting the free delivery for a boundary. Pakistan now need 201 runs from 19 overs to win the gold medal. Source: Al Jazeera