\Bangladesh ended the opening day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan at 317/8 after an eventful contest at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. The hosts made a strong start with the bat, but Afghanistan fought back with regular wickets to prevent them from taking complete control.
Tanzid Hasan led Bangladesh’s early charge with an attacking 83 off 71 balls, while Shadman Islam contributed 67 from 111 deliveries. Litton Das later steadied the innings with a valuable half-century, scoring 53 off 89 balls.
Afghanistan’s bowlers responded strongly in the middle and final sessions, leaving Bangladesh with only two wickets remaining at stumps.
Tanzid Hasan and Shadman Islam Give Bangladesh a Flying Start
After opting to bat, Bangladesh got off to an impressive start as Tanzid Hasan and Shadman Islam put the Afghanistan bowling attack under pressure.
Tanzid played aggressively, hitting eight fours and four sixes during his 71-ball knock. Shadman provided support at the other end as the opening pair added 124 runs for the first wicket.
Afghanistan eventually broke the partnership when Ismat Alam dismissed Tanzid, who was caught by Ikram Alikhil in the 23rd over.
Shadman continued to build the innings but was dismissed for 67 by Saleem Safi. His wicket came at 184, giving Afghanistan an important breakthrough after Bangladesh’s dominant start.
Afghanistan Strike Back with Regular Wickets
Afghanistan gradually regained control by removing Bangladesh’s key batters in quick succession.
Mominul Haque scored 39 before Yamin Ahmadzai sent him back to the pavilion. Ahmadzai then dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim for a duck, leaving Bangladesh under pressure.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto managed 29 runs before Qais Ahmad dismissed him. Bangladesh slipped from 184/1 to 225/5, losing four wickets during a crucial phase of the innings.
The sudden collapse shifted the momentum towards Afghanistan and gave their bowlers an opportunity to restrict the hosts to a manageable total.
Yamin Ahmadzai and Saleem Safi Lead Afghanistan’s Fightback
Yamin Ahmadzai and Saleem Safi played important roles in Afghanistan’s recovery. Ahmadzai claimed two wickets, including those of Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim, while Safi finished the day with three wickets.
Ismat Alam also made a valuable contribution, taking two wickets and keeping the scoring rate under control. He conceded just 20 runs in 12.4 overs, including five maidens.
Afghanistan’s disciplined bowling ensured that Bangladesh could not turn its strong opening partnership into a commanding first-innings total.
Litton Das Scores a Crucial Half-Century
With Bangladesh struggling at 225/5, Litton Das helped stabilise the innings. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 53 off 89 balls, hitting four boundaries to guide his team through a difficult period.
Litton shared a 62-run partnership with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who contributed 24 from 67 deliveries. Their stand helped Bangladesh move beyond the 280-run mark and rebuild after the middle-order collapse.
However, Ismat Alam ended the partnership by bowling Mehidy for 24, giving Afghanistan another important breakthrough.
Late Wickets Keep Bangladesh Under Pressure
Litton’s dismissal proved costly for Bangladesh. After reaching his half-century, he was caught by Ahmadzai off Saleem Safi for 53, leaving the hosts at 303/7.
Safi struck again in the same over, bowling Hasan Mahmud for two with a yorker to reduce Bangladesh to 305/8.
Bangladesh eventually reached stumps at 317/8 after 84 overs. Nayeem Hasan remained unbeaten on 11, while Taijul Islam was not out on four.
Safi ended the day with three wickets, while Ahmadzai and Ismat Alam picked up two wickets each.
What to Expect on Day 2?
Bangladesh will aim to add valuable runs on the second morning with two wickets still in hand. Nayeem Hasan and Taijul Islam will look to extend the innings and give their team a more competitive first-innings total.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, will be eager to dismiss the remaining batters quickly and carry their late momentum into their own innings.
After Bangladesh’s strong opening stand and Afghanistan’s impressive fightback, the match remains finely balanced heading into Day 2.