DHAKA: Zakir Hasan and Najmul Hossain both hit unbeaten half-centuries to guide Bangladesh to 134-1 in their second innings and consolidate the hosts’ control in their one-off Test against Afghanistan in Dhaka on Thursday.
Bangladesh decided against enforcing the follow-on despite taking a 236-run lead in the first innings and were up by 370 at stumps on the second day, with Zakir and Najmul unbeaten on 54 apiece.
The pair added 116 runs in their unbroken second-wicket stand with Mahmudul Hasan (17) the only batsman so far dismissed in the second innings.
Ebadot Hossain returned figures of 4-47 with Bangladesh needing just three overs after tea to wrap up the Afghan innings, with the tourists bowled out for just 146.
Spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam dismissed the final two batsmen, ending with two wickets apiece.
Ebadot and Shoriful Islam reduced Afghanistan to 51-4 shortly after the lunch break, before Nasir Jamal and Afsar Zazai put up some resistance with a 65-run fifth-wicket stand.
Mehidy broke the partnership by trapping Jamal lbw for 35 and Ebadot soon dismissed Afsar for 36 to expose Afghanistan’s tail.
Bangladesh resumed their first innings at 362-5 but were all out for 382 early in the morning as the hosts lost their last five wickets for just nine runs.
Nijat Masood claimed 5-79 on debut for Afghanistan, while pacer Yamin Ahmadzai finished with 2-39.
But Afghanistan then lost three wickets in quick succession to spoil their storming start to the day.
Ibrahim Zadran nicked Shoriful and was out for six, while fellow opener Abdul Malik made 17 before falling to Ebadot, Zakir taking a sharp low catch at third slip.
Rahmat Shah was next to fall after he holed out to Taskin Ahmed at midwicket off Ebadot for nine.
Afghan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi departed for nine after the break.
The hosts had shown some positive intent to build on their overnight total before their sudden collapse.
Mehidy was unbeaten overnight but flashed a catch to Amir Hamza at gully off Yamin to end his promising innings at 48.
Mushfiqur Rahim (47) and Taijul Islam (0) followed Mehidy in the next over from Nijat, before Yamin dismissed Taskin for two.
Nijat then bowled Shoriful to complete his five-for and wrap up the Bangladesh innings in unexpectedly swift style.
Afghanistan won the only other Test between the two teams when they beat the home side by 224 runs at Chittagong in 2019.
Zakir, Najmul fifties give Bangladesh huge lead over Afghanistan
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Zakir, Najmul fifties give Bangladesh huge lead over Afghanistan
- Bangladesh decided against enforcing the follow-on despite taking a 236-run lead in the first innings and were up by 370 at stumps on the second day
- Zakir and Najmul added 116 runs in their unbroken second-wicket stand with Mahmudul Hasan (17) the only batsman so far dismissed in the second innings
Resurgent Pakistan seal T20 sweep of Australia, team cleared to play in T20 World Cup
- The series gives Pakistan another T20 whitewash of Australia, following a 2-0 victory in 2010 and a 3-0 sweep in 2018
- Pakistani government cleared path to compete in T20 World Cup, but stopped them from playing arch-rivals and tournament co-hosts India
LAHORE: Saim Ayub and Babar Azam hit half-centuries and Mohammad Nawaz took five wickets as Pakistan thrashed Australia by 111 runs to sweep the T20 series 3-0 on Sunday.
Ayub hit 56 off 37 balls at the top of the order and Azam added an unbeaten 50 as Pakistan posted 207-6 before spinner Nawaz’s career-best 5-18 helped skittle Australia for 96 in Lahore.
The series gives Pakistan another T20 whitewash of Australia, following a 2-0 victory in 2010 and a 3-0 sweep in 2018, providing a timely boost ahead of next week’s T20 World Cup. The tournament, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins on February 7.
The Pakistani government cleared the national team on Sunday to compete in the tournament, but stopped them from playing arch-rivals and tournament co-hosts India.
“The government of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the Twenty20 World Cup, however, the Pakistan team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February against India,” a Pakistan government release said.
Australia, who lost the first match by 22 runs and the second by 90, were jolted early when skipper Mitchell Marsh was bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi for one.
Nawaz removed the other opener Matthew Short cheaply and also accounted for Cameron Green (22) and Marcus Stoinis (23). Shaheen, who took 2-16, bowled Matt Renshaw as Australia slumped to 63-5.
Nawaz then dismissed Josh Philippe for 14 and Cooper Connolly without scoring to improve on his previous best T20I figures of 5-19 against Afghanistan in Sharjah last year.
Skipper Salman Agha praised his team’s performance in the series.
“We have been excellent in all departments; I can’t find any mistakes,” said Agha. “We dominated them. I am in a great frame of mind right now.
“I know how to handle the captaincy when I go out to bat and I really want to do that in the World Cup as well.”
Marsh admitted his team had not been good enough.
“Pakistan certainly outplayed us throughout the whole series. As I said yesterday, there are learnings for us in this series,” said Marsh.
Pakistan, who won the toss and batted for the third time in a row, were led by Ayub and Azam.
Once opener Fakhar Zaman went for 10 and Agha for five, Ayub and Azam steadied the innings during their third-wicket stand of 69 off 45 balls.
Ayub smashed two sixes and six fours in his sixth T20I fifty while Azam’s knock included a six and three fours.
Shadab Khan ignited the innings with a blistering 46 off just 19 balls, hammering five sixes and two fours as he added 57 from 28 deliveries with Azam. Pakistan piled on 70 runs in the final five overs to surge to a commanding total.
