Taskin Ahmed’s outstanding performance has propelled Bangladesh to a historic Test victory over Afghanistan by a massive margin of 546 runs.
With figures of 4-37, Taskin played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s triumph, which marked the largest Test win by runs in nearly nine decades.
The match concluded during the extended opening session of the fourth day in Dhaka when a bouncer from Taskin struck Zahir Khan, resulting in the final batsman retiring hurt. Afghanistan struggled to make a dent in the colossal target of 662, allowing Bangladesh to secure their most significant Test win by runs since Australia’s 562-run victory over England in 1934.
Speaking to reporters, skipper Liton Das expressed his satisfaction with the win and credited the batsmen for their contribution on a challenging pitch.
He acknowledged the difficulty of achieving such a commanding margin of victory and regarded it as a remarkable achievement for the team.
“This resounding win shattered Bangladesh’s previous record, surpassing their 226-run victory over Zimbabwe in Chittagong back in 2005,” he said.
The triumph became virtually assured when Bangladesh declared their second innings at 425-4 during Friday’s final session.
Afghanistan faced an uphill battle right from the start, losing Ibrahim Zadran for a duck off the very first ball of their innings. Resuming at a precarious 45-2 on Saturday, the visitors struggled to mount a substantial recovery and lost wickets at regular intervals, with Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam leading the charge for Bangladesh.
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott expressed his disappointment with the defeat, especially considering it marked his team’s first Test match in over two years.
He acknowledged the sporadic moments of good cricket displayed by his side but emphasized the need for greater consistency and improvement in all aspects of the game.
Taskin came agonizingly close to achieving his maiden five-wicket haul when he dismissed the last Afghan batsman, Zahir Khan, in the 33rd over. However, the umpire’s decision deemed it a no ball, denying Taskin the milestone.
The morning session saw Afghanistan lose a wicket in the third over as Nasir Jamal edged Ebadot Hossain to the wicketkeeper. Five overs later, Shoriful Islam forced Afsar Zazai to offer a catch to Mehidy Hasan at gully, further denting Afghanistan’s chances.
Bahir Shah, serving as a concussion substitute for skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, who retired hurt after being hit by a bouncer from Taskin on the third day, couldn’t hold on for long either. Taskin induced a catch to Taijul Islam at slip, dismissing Bahir for a mere seven runs.
Liton Das contributed to the team’s success by ending Rahmat Shah’s dogged innings of 30 runs from 73 balls with a catch behind the stumps off Taskin’s bowling. Karim Janat briefly displayed aggression, smashing two sixes, before Taskin dismissed him for 18.
Spinner Mehidy Hasan joined the wicket-taking spree by removing Amir Hamza for five, leaving Afghanistan with eight wickets down and Taskin to wrap up the innings.
In the first innings, Bangladesh amassed 382 runs on a challenging green wicket and subsequently bowled out Afghanistan for 146, securing a commanding lead of 236 runs.
This victory marked an important milestone for Bangladesh, avenging their previous loss to Afghanistan by 224 runs at Chittagong in 2019.
Sources: Agence France-Presse/MP
