Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim plays a shot during the first Test against South Africa. He became the first Bangladeshi batsman to cross 6,000 Test runs.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Bangladesh were battling to save the first Test against South Africa on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) after reaching 101-3 at stumps and still needing another 101 to avoid an innings defeat.

Mahmudul Hasan Joy (38) and Mushfiqur Rahim (31) were unbeaten at the end of play in Mirpur.

Their 42-run stand for the fourth wicket also made Mushfiqur the first Bangladeshi to cross 6,000 career Test runs.

Bangladesh lost two early wickets to quick Kagiso Rabada in reply to South Africa’s first innings of 308, which secured a 202-run lead for the visitors thanks to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne’s century.

Shadman Islam was first to go, caught at short leg for one in the third over.

Three balls later, Mominul Haque edged and Wiaan Mulder took a sharp catch at third slip for naught, leaving the hosts dangling on 19-2 before tea.

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto fell lbw to Keshav Maharaj after a gruelling 23 off 49 balls.

Bangladesh would have lost another wicket off the last of the day when Mahmudul went for a wild slog and missed the ball, avoiding a stumping in the nick of time.

Verreynne was last man out in South Africa’s first innings after scoring eight fours and two sixes in his 114.

He put on 119 for the seventh wicket with Mulder, who made 54, in reply to Bangladesh’s first innings of 106.

It was South Africa’s highest seventh-wicket stand against Bangladesh, after the pair resumed at 140-6 at the start of play.

Dane Piedt, dismissed lbw for 32 by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, partnered Verreynne in a stand of 66 runs for the ninth wicket.

Bangladesh quick bowler Hasan Mahmud took two wickets in two balls in the 65th over, the only spot of brightness in a morning session where South Africa added 103.

A sharp delivery on off stump induced Mulder to edge to Shadman Islam at slip, then Hasan sent Maharaj’s off stump flying with a reverse-swinging delivery that ducked back late to beat the bat.

Hasan finished with 3-66 and Mehidy 2-63, finally wrapping up the innings when Verreynne was stumped after facing 144 balls.

Rabada on Monday become the fastest to reach 300 Test wickets as Bangladesh collapsed after winning the toss and choosing to bat.

He reached the landmark in 11,817 balls, beating the previous best by Pakistan’s Waqar Younis of 12,602 deliveries.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam passed 200 Test wickets as he finished with 5-122, only the second Bangladeshi to achieve the feat after Shakib Al Hasan.

Bangladesh have never beaten South Africa in a Test and second of the two-match series begins in Chattogram on October 29.

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada celebrates with his teammates after taking a wicket on day 1 of the first Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur on October 21, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

South Africa posted 140-6 on Monday in an action-packed first day of the opening Test, after Bangladesh collapsed to 106 all out with Kagiso Rabada celebrating being the fastest to take 300 Test wickets.

The visitors took the lead, reaching 140-6 in 41 overs in reply at stumps at Mirpur, with Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne not out for 17 and 18 respectively.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat but four of their top six batsmen failed to reach double figures, with opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy top-scoring with 30 on a lively pitch.

Seamers Rabada, Mulder and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took three wickets apiece for South Africa.

Bangladesh were teetering at 40-4 when Rabada bowled Mushfiqur Rahim on 11, as the South African celebrated reaching the 300-wicket landmark.

He managed the feat in 11,817 balls, the fastest of all time, beating Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (12,602 balls).

Rabada soon made it 301 Test wickets, removing Litton Das for one, with Bangladesh crumbling, all out for 106 in 40.1 overs.

Rabada said he was “really surprised at how the wicket played out”.

“Test cricket should offer a fair contest between bat and ball, where bowlers get something if they bowl well, and batters can score if they apply themselves,” he said.

“With 16 wickets on day one, I’d say it’s leaning towards the bowlers,” he added.

‘Still in our hands’

Right-arm seamer Hasan Mahmud brought Bangladesh the first success in the first over after the innings change, removing South African captain Aiden Markram for six off seven deliveries.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam — Bangladesh’s main seamer in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan — then boosted his team after he bagged a five-for, to become only the second Bangladeshi to take 200 wickets in Tests after Shakib.

“Many bowlers have 200, or 300-400 wickets,” Taijul said. “But we don’t play many Test matches — still, I’m one of the Bangladeshi bowlers who have 200 wickets, and I’m happy for this.”

He kept the team’s spirits up, saying it was possible the match was “still in our hands” to win.

The Test is the first international cricket fixture in Bangladesh since a student-led revolution toppled autocratic premier Sheikh Hasina in August.

Bangladesh are missing all-rounder Shakib after security fears forced him to cancel plans to return home.

Shakib announced his retirement from international cricket last month but said that he wanted to play one last red-ball series at home.

The 37-year-old was also a former lawmaker in the government ousted by the revolution, making him a target of public anger.

Bangladesh have never beaten South Africa in a Test. The second Test begins in Chattogram on October 29.