Bangladesh rebounded and its extended its lead to 370 runs after bowling out Afghanistan for 146 in their one-off test on a hectic Thursday when 16 wickets fell.
Bangladesh suffered a sensational batting collapse in the morning, losing five wickets for nine runs to be bowled out for 382. Afghanistan was all out in just 39 overs, and Bangladesh chose not to enforce the follow on. It was 134-1 in its second innings by stumps on day two.
Pacer Nijatullah Masood raised Afghanistan prospects when his morning five-for was just the second by an Afghan bowler on debut.
His 5-79 was instrumental in triggering the collapse as Bangladesh added just 20 runs to its overnight total of 362-5.
A day after becoming the first Afghan to take a wicket with the first ball of his test career, Masood found swing and movement in the overcast conditions to rip through Bangladesh’s batting.
Pace bowler Yamin Ahmedzai, who complemented Masood with 2-39, provided the momentum-shifting breakthrough when he had Mehidy Hasan caught by Amir Hamza at backward point with a delivery that was well outside off. Mehidy threw away his wicket for 48.
Masood then undid veteran Mushfiqur Rahim, who fended a short delivery to slip to be out for 47.
After their dismissals, Bangladesh crumbled in two overs. Masood complete his five-wicket haul by rattling the stumps of Shoriful Islam in the 86th over.
The overcast conditions remained, and Bangladesh’s fast bowlers used them impeccably to put Afghanistan in a tricky position.
Ebadot Hossain led the home charge with 4-47 and regularly found edges that flew into gaps. He found success after left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam broke through with the wicket of opener Ibrahim Zadran for 6 in the sixth over.
Ebadot removed Abdul Malik (17) and Rahmat Shah (9) from extra bounce after setting up both with deliveries that shaped across.
Shoriful, who took 2-28, grabbed the key wicket of captain Hashmatullah Shahidi on 9, also baffling him with extra bounce.
Nasir Jamal and Afsar Zazair put up a brief resistance in a 65-run stand to take their side past 100 but the introduction of spin put a brake on them.
Mehidy’s offspin broke the partnership when he trapped Jamal leg before for 35. Mehidy became the third Bangladeshi to reach 150 career wickets after Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam when he had Karim Janat stumped for 23.
Afsar Zazai made a team-best 36 before being undone by Ebadot’s short-pitched delivery.
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, 2-7, joined the party, cleaning up the tail.
When Bangladesh chose to bat again, Nazmul Hossain, fresh from his 146, was 54 not out.
Opener Zakir Hasan, who fell for duck in the first innings, played fluently to be 54 not out also.
The only batter out was Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who scored 76 on day one. Left-arm spinner Amir Hamza had him caught by Ibrahim Zadran at first slip for 17.
