On a day of dominance, India found the lone pocket of resistance in Mahmudullah’s bat – 96 n.o. (156b, 13x4). The Bangladesh all-rounder helped his team recover from a top-order collapse triggered by the pace combine of Zaheer Khan (three for 62) and Ishant Sharma (four for 66).
Eventually Bangladesh scored 233 in the second Test that commenced at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium here on Sunday. At close on the opening day, India hurtled to 69 for no loss with Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir toying with the Bangladesh attack.
Earlier after Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and opted to bat, opener Imrul Kayes was distinctly unlucky to be adjudged out as Ishant’s delivery grazed his thigh-pad and nestled in Indian skipper M.S. Dhoni’s gloves.
It got worse as Imrul Kayes’ batting colleagues froze their feet, prodded and pushed and returned to the pavilion while Mohammad Ashraful (39), after playing a string of shots, jumped out to left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and was stumped.
Post-lunch, Shakib and his deputy Mushfiqur Rahim too fell as Zaheer and Ishant returned to haunt the hosts. Later Shahadat Hossain lunged forward to be stumped off Ojha while Mahmudullah soldiered on, playing some rousing shots.
The scores:
Bangladesh – Ist innings: T. Iqbal b Zaheer 0 (8b), I. Kayes c Dhoni b Ishant 0 (1b), J. Siddique c Dhoni b Zaheer 7 (13b), Md. Ashraful st Dhoni b Ojha 39 (31b, 6x4), Raqibul c Dravid b Ishant 4 (23b), Shakib c Dhoni b Zaheer 34 (67b, 4x4), Mushfiqur lbw b Ishant 30 (61b, 6x4), Mahmudullah (not out) 96 (156b, 13x4), Shahadat st Dhoni b Ojha 8 (18b, 1x4), Shafiul c Dravid b Ishant 9 (39b, 1x4), Rubel b Harbhajan 4 (26b). Extras (lb-2): 2. Total (all out in 73.5 overs): 233.
Fall of wickets : 1-0 (Kayes), 2-4 (Iqbal), 3-13 (Siddique), 4-44 (Raqibul), 5-51 (Ashraful), 6-106 (Mushfiqur), 7-127 (Shakib), 8-155 (Shahadat), 9-213 (Shafiul).
India bowling : Zaheer 19-3-62-3, Ishant 18-3-66-4, Ojha 16-1-49-2, Harbhajan 18.5-3-48-1, Yuvraj 2-0-6-0.
India – 1st innings: G. Gambhir (batting) 26 (38b, 4x4), V. Sehwag (batting) 41 (40b, 6x4). Extras (b-1, nb-1): 2. Total (for no loss in 13 overs): 69.
Bangladesh bowling : Shafiul 2-0-13-0, Shahadat 3-0-10-0, Rubel 4-0-20-0, Shakib 3-0-15-0, Ashraful 1-0 10-0.
