Debutant Zakir Hasan grabbed the eyeballs with a scintillating century on his Test debut. After scoring mere 20 runs in the first innings, he returned stronger in the second when Bangladesh were chasing a mammoth 513-run target. He forged a 124-run opening stand with partner Najmul Hossain Shanto and then went on notch his maiden Test hundred on home soil. He smashed a six, and twelve boundaries during his stint at the crease.
The Bangla openers gave a tough time to Indian bowlers in the first session of day 4. However, the visitors made a stern comeback after the lunch break and began putting pressure back on the hosts. Shanto was the first man Bangladesh lost in their chase of 512. Yasir Ali (5) and Litton Das (19) followed him into the dressing room soon.
IND vs BAN, 1st Test, Day 4 Highlights
Hasan, however, held his nerve and brought up the triple figures but couldn’t score more than that. In the final session, Ashwin came into the attack and got the better of the debutant batter with a slider. Zakir looked to defend the ball, but it took an inside edge and went straight towards slip where Kohli was stationed.
The former Indian captain had already fumbled while taking Shanto’s catch but this time, he was way more acrobatic and ensured the first wicket to Ashwin’s credit in this game.
India edged closer to victory at the end of day four in the first Test at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, making further inroads to leave Bangladesh at 272/6 at stumps. The visitors now need to take out four wickets on day five while Bangladesh need 241 runs for a miraculous victory. It was a day where the visitors were made to work hard with the ball, starting from a wickless first session.
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After Hasan’s dismissal, skipper Shakib Al Hasan made his intentions clear against Axar by smashing him for a four and a six over mid-wicket fence. Rahim had an escape on 22 when Pant dropped a one-handed diving catch off Umesh. But he fell in the next over when Axar got one to straighten past outside edge and uproot off-stump.
(With Agency Inputs)
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