Centuries from experienced batters Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das put Bangladesh in a strong position on day two of the second Test, before the home team’s spinners reduced Ireland to 98 for 5 in reply to Bangladesh’s 476 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday.
Mushfiqur, unbeaten on 99 overnight, became only the eleventh player to score a century in his 100th Test, reaching his 13th Test hundred with a single off the ninth ball of the day. He added a few more runs before being caught at second slip by debutant Matthew Humphreys for 106.
Litton Das also reached his century in the first session, hitting a six and a four in the nineties. His 123-run partnership with Mushfiqur for the sixth wicket marked Bangladesh’s third consecutive century stand.
Ireland’s bowlers had started the day well. Andy McBrine took his second six-wicket haul in Tests, both achieved at the Shere Bangla Stadium. Humphreys and Gavin Hoey took two wickets each, marking the first time Ireland’s spinners claimed all ten wickets in a Test innings. McBrine ended Bangladesh’s innings by trapping Khaled Ahmed lbw with 30 minutes left in the second session.
However, Ireland’s batting collapsed soon after. Paul Stirling started with some boundaries, including a six off Taijul Islam, but was dismissed lbw by Khaled for 27. Captain Andy Balbirnie fell for 21, edging Hasan Murad to slip. Cade Carmichael was Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s first wicket, trapped lbw.
Hasan Murad bowled a brilliant arm-ball that beat Curtis Campher’s defence, and Taijul Islam trapped Harry Tector lbw for 14, leaving Ireland in deep trouble.
By stumps, debutant Stephen Doheny (2*) and Lorcan Tucker (11*) were still at the crease, but Bangladesh’s spinners – Murad (2 wickets), Miraz (1), and Taijul (1) – had firmly taken control of the match.