With three wickets to go and a full day remaining in the Sylhet Test, Taijul Islam guided the Bangladesh spinners to the brink of victory over New Zealand.
With three wickets to go and a full day remaining in the Sylhet Test, Taijul Islam guided the Bangladesh spinners to the brink of victory over New Zealand.
At the end of the day, New Zealand was 113 for 7, requiring 219 more runs to win against 332 with an unbeaten Daryl Mitchell batting with the tail.
The batsmen from New Zealand were greatly troubled by the accuracy of the spinners on and around the off stump. Taijul claimed four wickets, while Nayeem Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz each claimed one.
In Shakib Al Hasan’s absence, Taijul took on the role of enforcer, dismissing Kane Williamson twice during the match and also claimed the wickets of Devon Conway, Tom Blundell, and Kyle Jamieson in the second innings.
With his 29th Test century in the opening innings, Williamson was going to be crucial to New Zealand’s strategy on the fourth day of play. Taijul trapped him lbw for 11 after he lasted 24 balls and beat his inside edge on the forward prod.
The collapse continued, when Glenn Philips was trapped LBW for 12 by Nayeem in the 35th over.
Bangladesh secured the wicket through a review after the right-handed batter batted back to a delivery that curved sharply back to his front leg. Kyle Jamieson was held in front for 9 by Taijul, making him the third victim of LBW.
Mehidy had earlier scored his fifth Test fifty to help Bangladesh reach a total of 338. Before Mehidy surviving the first of multiple opportunities, Ish Sodhi trapped Shahadat lbw for 18.
With the wicket of Shoriful, Ajaz made it four for the day as Bangladesh set a formidable task.
In the World Test Championship points table, Bangladesh currently has 12 points. Their only other WTC victory came at the beginning of 2022 in Mount Maunganui, against New Zealand.
BEST PERFORMANCES – BATTERS
Najmul Hossain Shanto BAN
105 runs (198) 10 fours 0 six
Kane Williamson NZ
104 runs (205) 11 fours 0 six
BEST PERFORMANCES – BOWLERS
Taijul Islam BAN
O 31.1
M 8
R 75
W 6
ECO 2.4
Taijul Islam BAN
O 39
M 9
R 109
W 4
ECO 2.79
Partnerships
1st Innings Bangladesh
Mominul Haque Mahmudul Hasan Joy
37 (78) 88 (171) 48 (93)
1st Innings New Zealand
KS Williamson GD Phillips
31 (51) 78 (113) 42 (62)
KS Williamson DJ Mitchell
25 (42) 66 (96) 41 (54)
2nd Innings Bangladesh
Mominul Haque Najmul Hossain Shanto
40 (67) 90 (161) 50 (94)
Mushfiqur Rahim Najmul Hossain Shanto
44 (74) 98 (170) 54 (96)
2nd Innings New Zealand
DJ Mitchell IS Sodhi
18 (43) 30 (91) 8 (48)
TG Southee IS Sodhi
34 (24) 46 (52) 11 (28)