Bangladesh 172 (Mushfiqur 35, Shahadat 31, Philips 3-31, Santner 3-65) is ahead of New Zealand 55 for 5 (Mitchell 12*, Phillips 5*, Mehidy 3-17, Taijul 2-29) by 117 runs.
Thirteen of the fifteen wickets that fell on the opening day of the Dhaka Test were claimed by spin. After Bangladesh’s 172 all out, New Zealand collapsed to 46 for five, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed three wickets and Taijul Islam two as they concluded the day on 55 for five. What their batters had endured at the hands of the New Zealand spinners was returned to them by the Bangladeshi spinners.
On a cloudy day in Dhaka, play was canceled at 4:16 p.m., at least 14 minutes before it was supposed to end. After the visitors lost half of their team in 49 minutes, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Philips, who had scores of 12 and 5, respectively, were still undefeated.
Devon Conway was dismissed by Mehidy after the left-hander gave the offspinner an arm ball. In the subsequent over, Taijul dismissed Tom Latham, who was well-caught by wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan after being caught behind a delivery that stayed low. In his subsequent over, Taijul also scored when Henry Nicholls was caught by Shoriful Islam at mid-on.
Then, in the 12th over, Mehidy got two in three balls after Kane Williamson was removed by Shahadat Hossain with a brilliant catch at short-leg. After hitting one ball, Tom Blundell found himself lifeless in front of the stumps.
Bangladesh crumbled for 172 earlier, with the help of New Zealand’s spin trio. Tim Southee claimed the remaining wicket that went to the bowlers, leaving Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, and Ajaz Patel with a combined eight wickets. Meanwhile, Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed for impeding the pitch, which came at a crucial time for the visiting team.
Before the 88-Test veteran had a meltdown, Bangladesh had sunk to 47 for four. Mushfiqur and Shahadat Hossain had only begun to rally the team with a 57-run stand. On the other hand, the visitors took advantage of Bangladesh’s errors as their batters were out to soft shots.
During the first two sessions of the day, Bangladesh lost four wickets apiece. When Bangladeshi starter Mahmudul Hasan Joy tried too much in the first over of the day’s spin session, it started to fester in the sixth over. Joy tried everything, even a crazy slog, in response to Patel’s initial spinning and low deliveries.
Shortly after, Santner got Zakir Hasan to top-edge a hoick that was attempted towards long-on, leading to the wicket. Williamson took the simple catch at mid-on for eight after it required a top-edge. Mahmudul was caught at short leg by Patel in four balls as he poked the inside edge. Mahmadul scored 14 points.
When Mominul Haque attempted an almost impossible cut shot against Patel, he was caught off guard. Mominul was caught off the inside edge for the second time in this Test series as the ball swung back at him and stayed just a bit low. Patel had him in the first innings in Dhaka, but Glenn Philips had him in Sylhet.
Najmul Hossain Shanto tried to hit his way out of difficulties, realizing that batting on this surface was not going to be simple. It lasted barely 14 deliveries until Santner pinned him leg before wicket on his third attempt to reverse-sweep.
Bangladesh was 80 for 4 at lunchtime as Mushfiqur and Shahadat batted out the final 13 overs before the break with a little more ease. Both hitters approached the game with a little more common sense, something they were also supposed to do after lunch.
After the half, Mushfiqur performed the unimaginable in 47 minutes. For reasons best known to himself, Mushfiqur sought to pat away a ball that was already a good distance from his stumps after he had guarded a Kyle Jamieson delivery in the 41st over. The TV umpire complied with New Zealand’s prompt appeal by blocking the field call.
Mushfiqur scored three fours and a slog-swept six in his 35 from 83 balls. After twenty more minutes, Shahadat trailed him back to the pavilion, where Phillips had him caught on the leg-side for thirty-one. He made two fours during his 102 balls.
Then Phillips got rid of Nurul for seven runs, even though he tried to hit out at the offspinner and the bat turned in his hand. Before tea, Santner had Mehidy caught at slip for twenty. When Taijul was out for six after being leg before wicket, without trying to hit, Phillips scored his third.
After failing to give up a run in his first five overs, Southee claimed his last wicket in his sixth over, having Shoriful Islam caught behind for ten. The on-field umpires were unable to determine if the catch was legitimate, therefore TV umpire Ahsan Raza declared that Tom Blundell had made a clean catch.
The 13 wickets taken by spinners on Wednesday are tied for the highest total with the India-Australia Indore Test earlier this year, while the 15 wickets that fell on Wednesday are the most on the opening day of a Test in Bangladesh.
