Hasan Mahmud added another feather to his growing cap as he became the first Bangladesh pacer to take a Test hattrick on Sunday, against Afghanistan in the on Day 3 of the one-off Test at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Having played a crucial role in Bangladesh first-ever Test win on Australian soil a couple of months back, with a nine-wicket match haul, Mahmud continued to torment the Afghanistan batters.
After Bangladesh were all out for 346 in the first innings, ended Day 2 at 211/4 in 79 overs, with Mahmud taking one of those wickets. On Sunday (Day 3), Afghanistan lasted only 10.1 more overs with the right-arm pacer doing most of the damage.
, who had taken two wickets on the second day, started the day for Bangladesh with the wicket of Ikram Akhil, before the Mahmud magic. The 26-year-old did most of the damage in the 83rd over. He first cleaned up Ismat Alam on the third ball of the over, followed by Qais Ahmad, who edged behind to wicketkeeper Litton Das.
Mahmud trapped Zia-ur-Rehman in front on the final delivery of the over. In the process, Mahmud finished for 5/55 as Afghanistan were all out for 240. Ebadot finished with 4/56, with taking the other wicket. Bangladesh took 106-run first innings lead.
With this hattrick, Mahmud also became the third Bangladesh cricketer in Test cricket, and eighth overall to achieve this feat. The first hattrick for Bangladesh in international cricket was Alok Kapali in a 2003 Test against Pakistan in Peshawar. Three years later Shahadat Hossain took the first ODI hattrick for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe in Harare.
Skipper Rahmat Shah fought the lone battle for Afghanistan with a fourth Test hundred. He reached his ton with a four off Mahmud in the penultimate over of the Afghanistan innings. On a dry and hot day, Rahmat stood tall against some probing pace and spin to bring Afghanistan within 100 runs of Bangladesh’s first innings total.
Shah added a useful 70 runs for the third wicket with Abdul Malik, who scored a patient 62, after opener Sediqullah Atal fell for 17 and Shahidullah Kamal managed 20. he remained unbeaten at 105 runs off 216 balls, studden with 10 fours and two sixes.
