AFG vs BAN One-Off Test: Hasan Mahmud’s historic hat-trick puts Bangladesh on top

Bangladesh seamer Hasan Mahmud scripted history against Afghanistan during the ongoing one-off Test in Abu Dhabi. Mahmud became the first fast bowler from the country to pick up a Test hat-trick, and the third overall. He achieved this monumental feat on day three, bagging three wickets off successive deliveries to put Bangladesh on top. Despite Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah’s unbeaten 102, Bangladesh wrapped up their innings on 240, 106 shy of Bangladesh’s first-innings total.

Bowling the innings’ 83rd over, Mahmud first dismissed Ismat Alam bowled on just one before dismissing Qais Ahmad on the very next ball, caught behind by Litton Das on a duck. On a hat-trick, Mahmud trapped Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar on the next delivery, only for Bangladesh to challenge the on-field decision and have it overturned by the DRS.

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Swinging with the second new ball early on the third day, Mahmud bowled proper Test line and length and tore through Afghanistan’s tail and helped Bangladesh take a 100-plus lead in the first innings.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Bangladesh scored 346 in the first innings. While three batters surpassed the 50-run mark, including openers Shadman Islam (67), Tanzid Hasan (83) and keeper-batter Das (53), handy contributions from the rest of the batters helped them register a fighting first-innings total.

For Afghanistan, seamer Mohammad Saleem Safi picked up four wickets, and Yamin Ahmadzai returned with three and Ismat with two.

Bangladesh fast bowlers Hasan and Ebadot Hossain returned with nine wickets among them in reply, reducing them to 240. Opener Abdul Malik scored a valiant 62, but others failed to back him, and captain Rahmat Shah conceded a chance to cut on Bangladesh’s lead.

In their second innings, Bangladesh surpassed 50 for the loss of two wickets, leading by over 150.