Taskin Ahmed grabs four as Bangladesh annihilate Afghanistan in their biggest Test win

Bangladesh 382 (Shanto 146, Mahmudul 76, Masood 5-79) and 425 for 4 dec (Shanto 124, Mominul 121*, Zahir 2-112) beat Afghanistan 146 (Zazai 36, Ebadot 4-47, Taijul 2-7) and 115 (Rahmat 30, Taskin 4-37, Shoriful 3-28) by 546 runs

The delivery immediately after, Taskin bowled Zahir, only for the ball to be deemed as an above-waist full toss, and thus a no-ball. Then three legal balls after that, Taskin crashed one into Zahir’s elbow, thus rendering him unable to bat. After a few minutes of discussion and medical attention, Zahir walked off. That confirmed a massive win for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s fast bowlers combined to take 14 wickets in the match, the most for them in a Test. The hosts entered the fourth day requiring eight wickets to seal the win, which they duly did inside 22 overs although eventually they had to take one wicket lesser. It started in the third over of the day when Nasir Jamal could do little against a beautiful delivery from Ebadot Hossain: the ball pitched outside off and straightened just enough to tickle the batter’s outside edge.

Next over, Rahmat Shah survived when he was given out caught in the slips off a snorter from Shoriful Islam, before the TV umpire determined that the ball had come off his armguard. But Shoriful didn’t have to wait too long for his first wicket of the morning: three overs later – the 19th of the innings – Afsar Zazai edged him to Mehidy Hasan Miraz at gully.

As a result of that wicket, in came debutant Bahir Shah, who was brought in as concussion substitute for captain Hashmatullah Shahidi. But Shoriful ended the 21st over by having him caught at third slip, where Taijul Islam took a good, low catch. That meant Afghanistan were 78 for 5, which soon became 91 for 6 when Taskin had Rahmat Shah caught behind for 30 four overs later. Taskin’s third wicket came soon after, when he bowled Karim Janat for 18.

That meant all of the seven wickets to fall had gone to Bangladesh’s fast bowlers, after which one finally went to a spinner. Brought into the attack to start the 32nd over, Mehidy struck third ball when he had Amir Hamza caught at short leg, where the ball landed after coming off his glove and helmet in an attempted pull shot. And next over, Taskin had Yamin Ahmadzai caught at mid-off to get his fourth.

But Afghanistan’s troubles had begun on the third evening itself, when Shoriful had trapped Ibrahim Zadran lbw first ball, thus becoming the second Bangladesh bowler after Mashrafe Mortaza to start an innings with a wicket. Next over, Abdul Malik chased an away swinger from Taskin, only to be caught behind for 5.

Come the sixth over, Taskin struck Shahidi on the head with a bouncer. Shahidi, who had ducked at the ball after seemingly taking his eyes off, fell flat on the pitch, before walking off retired hurt. Effectively, Afghanistan were three down, before Bahir would take Shahidi’s place.