Dominant Bangladesh Ride on Shantos Century, Reach 301 Despite Missed Ton

Bangladesh scripted a strong comeback after an early setback on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Showing control and composure with the bat, the hosts built a solid platform and finished the day on 301 for 4 after 85 overs. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s century and a responsible innings from Mominul Haque put Bangladesh in a commanding position at stumps.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Bangladesh did not have the ideal start. Mahmudul Hasan Joy was dismissed with the team score on 18 after making 8 runs. Soon after, the hosts lost their second wicket at 31 when Shadman Islam departed for 13. The quick dismissals of both openers left Bangladesh under pressure early in the innings.

From that difficult situation, Shanto and Mominul rebuilt the innings brilliantly. Combining patience with attacking intent, the two left-handers shared a crucial 170-run partnership. While Mominul played the anchoring role, captain Shanto batted with confidence and positivity. Putting the Pakistani bowlers under pressure, he reached his ninth Test century in just 130 balls. His innings of 101 featured 12 fours and 2 sixes. Before being trapped lbw by Mohammad Abbas, the Bangladesh skipper had already guided his team past the 200-run mark.

At the other end, Mominul Haque was also closing in on a century. The experienced batter steadied the innings with a calm and composed approach, but fell short of the three-figure mark. He was dismissed lbw by Noman Ali after scoring 91 from 200 deliveries. His innings included 10 boundaries. The batter who holds the record for the most Test centuries by a Bangladeshi — 13 — experienced the disappointment of getting out in the nineties for the first time in his career.

In the final session of the day, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das ensured there were no further setbacks for Bangladesh. The experienced Mushfiqur remained unbeaten on 48 from 104 balls with a composed innings, while Litton stayed not out on 8 from 35 deliveries. Bangladesh will now aim to push their total even further on the second day.