Right-hand wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das hit 95 off 147 balls against Zimbabwe on Day 1 of the Harare Test Wednesday.
Riding on his score, Bangladesh posted 294 for eight despite losing two wickets in eight runs.
Saif Hassan was dismissed for a duck; Najmul Hossain Shanto posted only two runs. Both batsmen fell prey to Blessing Muzarabani who took three wickets for 48 runs in 16 overs.
In the third wicket stand, Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque added 60 runs. Richard Ngarava broke the partnership by removing Shadman for 23 off a good length delivery.
Mominul, however, was firm at the other end of the wicket. But Mushfqiur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan failed to accompany him as they fell for 11 and 3. Mominul also was dismissed for 70 off 92 deliveries.
“I think we showed some good fight in the day’s play. Losing two wickets this morning was tough for the team. But then we had a nice partnership. We had a good start after lunch, with the captain and Mushy. I feel Mushy’s dismissal was a big one for the team at a crucial time. It was a close call, could have gone either way,” Ashwell Price, Bangladesh’s new batting consultant, told the media.
As the Tigers were choking at 132 for six, Liton and Mahmudullah Riyad added 138 runs – Bangladesh’s biggest partnership on Day 1.
“I think we have some highly skilled players in this team. Liton is one of those guys. We have had some conversations during the week. I told him, if he can bat for more than three hours, forgetting about the score, he’d be close to a 100. We were all quite disappointed for him that he didn’t get the 100. I think this is good learning for him,” Prince said.
Adding 24 in the eighth wicket stand, Mahmudllah and Taskin Ahmed remained unbeaten on 54 and 13.
For Zimbabwe, Muzarabani bagged three while Donald Tiripano and Victor Nyauchi scalped two wickets each.
Zimbabwe debuted Dion Myers and Takudzwanashe Kaitano in this match.
For Bangladesh, Shakib and Mahmudullah made a comeback to Tests. Shakib returned after missing the Sri Lanka Test series in April to play IPL while Mahmudullah had been overlooked due to his poor run of form.
The number one opener of Bangladesh, Tamim Iqbal, is not playing in this Test. The southpaw has still not recovered from the leg injury he sustained during the Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League last month.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
