When New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner was asked after the first day of the second Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Dhaka if the match would go beyond three days, he couldn’t help but laugh.
The reason for the left-arm spinner’s reaction was not because the query was absurd, but because the match could be over in less than three days.
Only one day has passed in the five-day match, and 15 wickets have already fallen, the most ever on the first day of a Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
The pitch’s difficult conditions once again showed the club management’s proclivity for producing tracks in Mirpur that swiftly deteriorate, which is an ideal scenario for luring teams from outside the subcontinent.
But it’s a trap that has previously revealed the host team batters’ lack of resilience, and the same thing happened yesterday.
When they chose to bat, the hosts could only muster 172 runs in an inning in which none of their batters reached the 30s.
Batting was difficult from the outset, but Bangladesh batsmen were often guilty of wasting wickets with fake strokes.
Zakir Hasan was the first Bangladesh batter to be dismissed on the day, coming down the track to take on Santner only to be caught by Kane Willamson.
Mushfiqur Rahim and Shahadat Hossain Dipu steadied the ship with a 56-run partnership after losing four wickets in the morning session.
However, after Mushfiqur lost his wicket in an unusual manner, Dipu was caught behind his legs, and Nurul Hasan Sohan was bowled in a suicidal shot, the hosts were forced to settle for a substandard score.
Mehedi Hasan Miraz, who batted 20 times, believes the batters could have scored more runs if they had shown more tenacity.
“It’s a little difficult for batters, but if they show commitment, they can play here.” Batters must accept accountability. “When the ball gets old on this surface, it doesn’t do much,” Miraz noted during a news conference about how to approach this type of surface as a hitter.
Despite their terrible batting performance, Bangladesh finished the day on top owing to their spinners, who dismissed five New Zealand top-order batters in 12.4 overs before stumps were called due to poor lighting.
Miraz and Taijul Islam dominated the Kiwi batting, both taking five wickets.
The wicket of Kane Williamson, who had made a century in the Sylhet Test, was crucial for Bangladesh, and it came as a result of some clever bowling by Miraz and a fine diving catch by Dipu.
“I didn’t try anything spectacular, but I did try to perplex him [Williamson].” On this pitch, a bewildered batter is bound to make mistakes. I wanted him to consider how he would play against me. I attempted to put him under strain. “This dilemma frequently produces a wicket,” Miraz, who took three wickets in 20 deliveries, said of his strategy.
The Tigers’ 150-run triumph in the Sylhet Test demonstrated that they had enough weapons in their arsenal to win Tests at home, even on somewhat sporting fields.
The possibility to win a Test series against a strong side, as well as World Test Championship points, may have convinced the management to construct another excellent turner in Mirpur.
However, the hitters’ poor performance showed the lack of resilience among Bangladesh batters, and a repeat performance in the second innings could mean doom for the hosts.