Sports reporter/

The Tigers are smelling a big win tomorrow on the fourth day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan at the home of cricket, Mirpur. At the end of the third day, the red-green representatives gave the Afghans a big target of 662 runs. This is Bangladesh’s highest run target given to the opposition in their Test history. Earlier, Bangladesh had given Zimbabwe a target of 477 runs in Harare Test in 2021. Chasing this target, the visitors ended the third day losing 2 wickets for 45 runs. Afghanistan need 617 runs and Bangladesh need 8 wickets to win in remaining two days.

After losing the toss, the Tigers scored 382 runs in the first innings. Chasing this run, Afghanistan were bowled out for just 146 runs. Then in the second innings Bangladesh announced the innings losing 4 wickets for 425 runs. The two batsmen Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan, who were unbeaten on 54 runs on the previous day, got off to bat on the third day. Zakir could not increase his innings on the third day. He took the path to the pavilion with a personal 71 runs. After Zakir’s return, former Test captain Muminul Haque joined Shanta at the crease. They started batting in ODI style against Afghanistan bowlers. In this, Shanto saw his fourth Test career century in the first session. He scored a century off 115 balls with 14 fours. He scored 146 runs in the first innings. As the second batsman of Bangladesh, he made the feat of scoring a century in two innings of a Test. Earlier in 2018, Muminul scored a century in the two innings of the Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong.

Shantar’s 124 runs off 151 balls came from the bat before being dismissed. After coming to the wicket, wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim could not extend the innings. He returned to the dressing room with only 8 runs. Despite Shanto-Mushfiq’s departure in the space of four balls, Liton Das, who got the captaincy for the first time, batted aggressively with Muminul. The hosts went into the tea break with 378 runs for 4 wickets. After the break, Muuminul took the 12th century of his Test career after 26 innings by hitting a boundary in the second ball of the 73rd over. Mominul scored his last Test century in April 2021. Before that, Litton scored the 16th half-century of his Test career. In the end, Bangladesh announced an innings of 425 runs for 4 wickets in 80 overs. Bangladesh announced the innings for the 17th time. 11th time in the second innings. In the previous 10 times, six of them had lost once at the break. There have been draws three times. Muminul remained unbeaten on 121 runs off 145 balls with 12 fours and a six. Lytton remained unbeaten on 66 runs off 81 balls with eight fours. Zaheer Khan took two wickets for Afghanistan. Another wicket was seen by Amir Hamza.

Chasing a big target, the Afghans lost their wicket in the first ball of the fourth innings. Ibrahim Zadran was dismissed leg before by left-arm pacer Shariful Islam. Pacer Taskin Ahmed took Bangladesh’s second wicket in the next over. Opener Abdul Malik caught Taskin’s ball behind the wicket for 5 runs. Rahmat Shah and captain Hasmatullah Shahidi tried to deal with the shock of falling 2 wickets for 7 runs. Unexpected incident happened in the third ball of Taskin’s sixth over of the innings. Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi Taskin thought the ball would be a bouncer. That is why he sat down before the ball arrived. But that delivery didn’t rise much. At this time, he directly hit the martyr’s helmet. That’s why Shahidi became a retired heart and scored a personal 13 runs. Later, Nasir Jamal came to the crease again. Sekhain ended the third day’s play when play was called off due to lack of light after the 11th over. Rahmat 10 and Jamal 5 runs unbeaten. Bangladesh’s Taskin and Shariful took one wicket each.