Najmul Hossain Shanto carried his strong form from the white-ball game into Tests. Photo: AFP
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto struck a majestic century while Mominul Haque narrowly missed out on three figures as the hosts seized complete control against Pakistan on the opening day of the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.
After Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and elected to field first, Bangladesh ended a commanding day at 301-4 in 85 overs, winning all three sessions through disciplined batting and calculated aggression.
Shanto led the charge with a superb 101 off 130 deliveries, hammering 12 fours and two sixes for his ninth Test century, while former captain
Mominul made a composed 91 from 200 balls. Veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim remained unbeaten on 48 at stumps, alongside Litton Das on eight.
Pakistan’s pace attack made early inroads on a green-tinged Mirpur surface as left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi removed opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy for eight in the fourth over.
Fast bowler Hasan Ali then dismissed Shadman Islam for 13, leaving Bangladesh struggling at 31-2 inside 11 overs and briefly raising Pakistan’s hopes of exploiting favourable seam conditions.
But Shanto and Mominul steadied the innings with a masterclass in patience and shot selection, frustrating Pakistan’s bowlers with a marathon 170-run stand for the third wicket.
The pair gradually wrestled momentum away from Pakistan as conditions eased. Shanto accelerated confidently through the off side, particularly against the seamers, while Mominul relied on deft late cuts and clever strike rotation to blunt the attack.
Bangladesh crossed the 100-run mark before lunch and continued their dominance in the afternoon session, with Pakistan unable to generate sustained movement or pressure.
Shanto brought up his century in style with a boundary through cover, but Pakistan finally broke the massive partnership immediately afterward when experienced pacer Mohammad Abbas trapped the Bangladesh skipper lbw.
The breakthrough, however, did little to halt Bangladesh’s momentum as Mushfiqur joined Mominul to add another crucial 75 runs.
Spinner Noman Ali eventually denied Mominul a deserved century when the left-hander was trapped lbw for 91 after a gritty six-hour stay at the crease.
Pakistan’s bowlers endured a frustrating day overall, struggling with rhythm and discipline while conceding 31 extras, including eight no-balls and 16 byes.
Shaheen, Abbas, Hasan and Noman claimed one wicket apiece, but Bangladesh’s disciplined batting ensured the hosts finished firmly in command heading into day two of the Bangladesh vs Pakistan first Test.
Milestone for Shaheen
Pakistan’s premier left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi reached a landmark achievement in Test cricket on Friday, becoming the first Pakistani bowler to complete 100 wickets in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).
The milestone came during the ongoing first Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, where Afridi struck early by dismissing opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy on the opening day.
With this breakthrough, Afridi also joined an elite list of bowlers in WTC history, becoming only the 19th overall to reach the 100-wicket mark in the competition since its inception.
Among Pakistan’s leading wicket-takers in the WTC, Afridi now stands at the top with 100 wickets, followed by Noman Ali (89), Sajid Khan (63), Naseem Shah (60), Abrar Ahmed (46), Yasir Shah (41), Hasan Ali (35), and Mohammad Abbas (34).
At the time of this writing, Bangladesh had reached 244-3 in 63 overs after recovering strongly from an early collapse. The hosts had earlier been reduced to 31-2 before rebuilding through a crucial partnership.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto had earlier played a commanding knock of 101 off 130 balls, while Mominul Haque remained unbeaten on 80, holding the innings together after early setbacks.
