Only Test, Mirpur, June 14 – 18, 2023, Afghanistan tour of Bangladesh (Mehidy Hasan Miraz 43*, Mushfiqur Rahim 41*, Amir Hamza 1/85) – Stumps, BAN vs AFG, Only Test, day 1, live score, 2023

Bangladesh have got the upper hand in the opening day of this one-off Test. The hosts looked unflustered in the first two sessions amidst extremely hot weather, but Afghanistan managed to make some inroads in the evening session with a couple of wickets. Mahmudul Hasan Joy scored 76 while Shanto played a sensational knock of 146 runs and made the bowlers suffer. Together, they stitched a mammoth stand of 212 runs as Afghanistan’s bowlers were found wanting for the most part. The visitors fought back with prized scalps of Mominul Haque, and captain Litton Das but Bangladesh made sure they don’t panic in the tricky period. Mushfiqur Rahim soaked up all the pressure and showed immaculate defensive technique against spin in the third session while Mehidy Hasan played some scintillating shots and steadied the ship with the former captain. Afghanistan’s bowlers were somewhat inconsistent. They bowled frequent no balls, which cost them opportunities to put pressure on the opposition. Their bowling plans seemed a bit awry at times, resulting in loose deliveries and easy scoring opportunities for Bangladesh. They must control the extras to pose a stronger challenge in the upcoming days of this Test. Thanks for joining us, cricket enthusiasts. It’s time for me, Rvel Zahid, to say goodbye on behalf of Ekanth. Do stick around for the report!