Bangladesh finish day-1 with 310/9 against New Zealand

Bangladesh have finished their first day in the first game of the two-match Test series against New Zealand with 310 runs losing nine wickets in Sylhet.

The Test series, starting at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, marks the beginning of the new cycle of World Test Championship for both teams.

Daryl Mitchell took a low catch at slip as Ish Sodhi dismissed Mahmudul Hasan for 86 shortly before the break, ending his dogged 166-ball innings featuring 11 boundaries. It was Mahmudul’s fourth Test half-century.

Glenn Phillips forced Mominul Haque to give a catch to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell in the previous over after the left-hander made 37.

Bangladesh had dominated the session until the two late blows as Mahmudul and Mominul put on 88 runs for the fourth wicket.

Opting to bat first, Bangladesh openers Zakir Hasan and Mahmudul Hasan Joy displayed commendable resilience against New Zealand pacers Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson in the initial overs.

Despite the initial challenge posed by the seamers, they were unable to secure the breakthrough. Subsequently, captain Southee entrusted the ball to left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, who made an impact in his fourth over by breaking the opening partnership at 39 runs.

Patel’s delivery pitched around the fifth stump line and executed a dramatic turn, crashing into Zakir’s off stump.

This brought an end to Zakir’s innings, during which he had managed to score 12 runs off 42 balls.

Then captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opened his account by hitting Patel for a six. He hit two more sixes off the left-arm spinner. In the end, the Bangladesh captain gave away his wicket while trying to hit another six.

The only off-spinner for the Kiwis, Glenn Phillips, delivered a full toss, which tempted Shanto to take a swing. However, the ball made contact with the bottom edge of his bat. Kane Williamson, stationed at mid-on, safely palmed the ball, which had been in the air for a long time.

Shanto scored 37 runs off 35 balls with 2 fours and 3 sixes before his departure. The second-wicket partnership lasted for 53 runs.

Phillips got a four-fer while Kyle Jamieson and Ajaz Patel took two wickets each for New Zealand.

Playing XIs

Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Naeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam.

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (c), Ajaz Patel.