Jakarta:Bangladesh took control of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, extending their lead to 329 runs with four wickets in hand by the end of the third day.
According to United News of Bangladesh, fast bowler Hasan Mahmud was the standout performer, achieving a hat-trick in the morning session. Afghanistan, who began the day at 211-4, collapsed to 240 all out, with Hasan finishing with impressive figures of 5-55. This achievement marked Hasan as the first Bangladeshi fast bowler to take a Test hat-trick and the third Bangladeshi overall to do so. Ebadot Hossain also contributed significantly, claiming four wickets.
Afghanistan's captain, Rahmat Shah, scored 105 not out, making history as the first player to score a century on his Test captaincy debut against Bangladesh.
In their second innings, Bangladesh started with a 106-run lead but faced early challenges. Openers Sadman Islam and Mominul Haque were dismissed before lunch, followed by Tanzid Hasan after the break, leaving Bangladesh at 53-3. However, a crucial 159-run partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto steadied the innings. Both players made contributions in the 80s, with Mushfiq scoring 81 and Najmul 82, though neither reached a century.
Bangladesh experienced a late collapse, losing three wickets in five overs before the end of the day's play. Hasan was dismissed for a duck, leaving the hosts at 297-6. Despite these setbacks, Bangladesh remains in a strong position going into the fourth day.