Bangladesh take full command in 2nd Ireland Test
Centuries from Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das, followed by a relentless display from the bowlers, put Bangladesh firmly in control of the second Test against Ireland at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium here today.
Liton hammered 128 and Mushfiqur, who achieved the rare feat of scoring a century in his 100th Test, added 106 as Bangladesh racked up 476 before being all out in their first innings.
The bowlers then tore through Ireland's top order, reducing them to a precarious 98-5 at stumps on Day 2. Trailing by 378 runs, Ireland will resume Day 3 looking to avoid the follow-on.
The highlight of the day was the centuries from Mushfiqur and Liton, whose composure and resolve ensured Bangladesh stayed on top throughout the innings. Mominul Haque contributed 63, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz added a valuable 47 to help set a formidable total.
Offspinner Andy McBrine produced a remarkable spell to deny Bangladesh a 500-plus score, finishing with career-best figures of 6-109.
Bangladesh resumed the day on 292-4, with Mushfiqur completing his century in the ninth delivery of the morning. Having been stranded on 99 overnight, he calmly nudged Jordan Neill for a single to raise his 13th Test hundred, made off 195 deliveries.
He had earlier survived a close appeal before safely negotiating a maiden
over from left-arm spinner Matthew Humphrey at the start of the day.
Humphrey eventually ended Mushfiqur's stay, breaking a 108-run stand and claiming Ireland's only wicket of the morning session.
Liton, another overnight unbeaten batter, continued his fluent batting, reaching his fifth Test century - and his first since the Rawalpindi Test against Pakistan in 2024 - from 158 balls, delicately paddling Gavin Hoye to
the fine-leg boundary.
Miraz offered solid support in a 123-run sixth-wicket partnership, but Ireland clawed back by removing both batters within the space of four deliveries. Hoye, who finished with 2-115, dismissed Miraz, while Humphrey removed Liton, who smashed eight fours and four sixes in his 192-ball-knock, to complete a haul of 2-151.
McBrine then returned to clean up the tail, taking the wicket of Hasan Murad before trapping Khaled Ahmed leg-before to wrap up the innings.
Ireland made a positive start through Paul Stirling, who struck a flurry of
boundaries before being trapped leg-before by pacer Khaled Ahmed, ending a 41-run opening stand with captain Andrew Balbirnie.
Left-arm spinner Hasan Murad got into act by removing Balbirnie for 21 and followed it up with the wicket of Curtis Campher for a duck to finish the day with impressive figures of 2-10.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam, the other two spinners, also bowled with excellent control to help the side tighten the noose as Bangladesh moved closer to securing a series sweep with another emphatic victory.