Ibrahim Zadran and Asghar Afghan hit half-centuries while Rashid Khan played a cameo after claiming five wickets in an innings as Afghanistan took command in the one-off Test against Bangladesh here on Saturday.
The visitors reached 237 for eight at stumps on the third day to take an overall lead of 374.
Asghar’s second fifty
Debutant Zadran was the top-scorer with 87 off 208 balls for Afghanistan in the second innings while former skipper Asghar made 50 off 108 balls, his second fifty, adding to Bangladesh’s frustration.
Rashid added 24 off 22 balls before wicketkeeper-batsman Afsar Zazai’s unbeaten 34 extended Afghanistan’s lead.
“Our aim is to get a 400-plus lead. We are just 30-40 runs short, so it will not be easy for Bangladesh to achieve it,” Zadran said. “We are 70% hopeful of winning the game.”
Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan was hoping against hope.
“Anything can happen in cricket... a team can lose from a winning position and also can win from a losing position,” Mehidy said.
“Our batsmen need to take the challenge,” he said.
Shakib picks up three
Skipper Shakib Al Hasan took three wickets for Bangladesh, including two in the first over of the innings, but Zadran and Asghar shared 108 runs for the fourth wicket to snatch the momentum back for Afghanistan.
Shakib trapped Ihsanullah Janat for four in the third ball of the innings and then dismissed first innings centurion Rahmat Shah off the next delivery.
