Afghanistan bowled out Bangladesh for 346 in the first hour of Day 2 in Abu Dhabi and then reached 211/4 in reply to leave the one-off Test evenly poised. Rahmat Shah was unbeaten on 84 at the close of play, with Afghanistan still 135 runs behind.
Resuming on 317 for 8, Bangladesh could only add 29 runs before folding. Mohammad Saleem Safi did the early damage, trapping Taijul Islam leg before for 9 on his way to figures of 4 for 82. Yamin Ahmadzai then wrapped things up when Ebadot Hossain was caught at point, finishing with 3 for 79.
Nayeem Hasan was the one man still standing at the other end, cutting and driving his way to an unbeaten 35, the highest score of his Test career, as the total crept past 340.
Afghanistan’s reply never quite found its feet early on, not helped by bounce that kept varying from one ball to the next. Sediqullah Atal was nicked out by Hasan Mahmud for 17 whereas Shahidullah Kamal fell to Ebadot Hossain’s short ball on the other side of the Lunch break.
Abdul Malik then added a crucial 70-run stand for the third wicket with Rahmat Shah, eventually getting to his maiden Test fifty as Afghanistan negotiated the rest of the afternoon session. But Malik fell in the first over after Tea, playing a loose drive off Ebadot and edging behind.
Hashmatullah Shahidi was stumped off Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s bowling in the next over, leaving the score at 139/4. That is where Rahmat Shah found an equally patient partner in wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil, the two of them simply refusing to give anything away for the rest of the day and taking their stand to 72 by the close of play.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 346 all out in 92.3 overs (Tanzid Hasan Tamim 83, Shadman Islam 67, Litton Das 53, Nayeem Hasan 35*; Mohammad Saleem Safi 4-82, Yamin Ahmadzai 3-79) lead Afghanistan 211/4 in 79 overs (Rahmat Shah 84*, Abdul Malik 62, Ikram Alikhil 26*; Ebadot Hossain 2-50) by 135 runs.
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