On the morning of the third day, Bangladesh bowled out Afghanistan for 240 with a superb bowling performance. Pacer Hasan Mahmud took five wickets for the team, including a hat-trick. He created history by becoming the first Bangladeshi fast bowler to take a hat-trick in Test cricket. Ebadot Hossain, on the other hand, claimed four wickets. As a result, Najmul Hossain Shanto’s team secured a 106-run lead in the first innings.
Bangladesh had posted 346 runs in their first innings. In response, Afghanistan was in a strong position at the end of day two, having scored 217 runs for 4 wickets. However, on the morning of the third day, their innings quickly collapsed under the onslaught of Bangladeshi pacers. The Afghans lost their remaining six wickets adding just 23 runs. Ultimately, the team was all-out for 240 runs.
Ebadot Hossain struck early in the day. He broke Afghanistan’s resistance by bowling Ikram Ali Khil, who had scored 32 runs, with an inswinger. Following this, Hasan Mahmud’s brilliant bowling spell began.
In the very first ball of the next over, Hasan bowled Ismat Alam. He then dismissed Qais Ahmed off the second ball of the over. The swinging delivery found its way into Liton Das’s gloves behind the stumps.
Standing on the verge of a hat-trick, Hasan created an opportunity to bowl Ziaur Rahman in the next ball. As the ball passed the bat and was collected by wicketkeeper Liton Das, Bangladeshi fielders appealed for a catch. With the umpire unmoved, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted for a review.
The review revealed that even if the ball hadn’t hit the bat, it would have directly struck the off-stump. Consequently, the umpire’s decision was overturned, and Hasan Mahmud completed his hat-trick via an LBW dismissal. With this, he etched his name in history as the first Bangladeshi pacer to achieve a hat-trick in Test cricket.
Previously, Alok Kapali (2003) and Sohag Gazi (2013) had taken hat-tricks for Bangladesh in Tests. However, this marks the first time a Bangladeshi fast bowler has achieved this feat.
With Hasan’s record-breaking bowling against Afghanistan and Ebadot’s four wickets, Bangladesh has established control over the match. Holding a 106-run lead from the first innings, the team is now preparing to bat in their second innings.
