Tanzid provides Bangladesh solid start

Riding on a blistering 71-ball 83, Bangladesh kick-started one-off Test against Afghanistan in style, reaching 134-1 at lunch on Day 1 at Sheikh Abu Jayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE today, Friday.

Tanzid’s marauding start ensured Bangladesh scored runs at six runs per over, keeping the hosts Afghanistan in its adopted venue in UAE in extreme pressure.

But Afghanistan bounced back into the match, thanks to pacer Ismat Alam who dismissed Tanzid, denying him the century on the stroke of lunch.

Tanzid who hammered a century against Australia in Bangladesh’s historical victory in Darwin a couple months ago smashed eight 4’s and four 6’s in his knock.

His swashbuckling knock made his opening partner Shadman Islam a mere spectator. But Shadman came out from the shell after his departure and remained not out on 45 when the lunch was taken.

Mominul Haque was on 5 at the first interval of the day.

Earlier, Bangladesh had opted to bat first after winning the toss. Bangladesh fielded a squad, with an additional spinner in Nayeem Hasan, predicting that the pitch would break considerably after second day to aid the spinners.