Hasan's Record Six-For in Sylhet Test as Bangladesh Slump to 88 for 3

Pacer Hasan Mahmud produced a superb bowling display on day two of the second Test against the West Indies in Sylhet, bowling the visitors out for 356 in their first innings. In reply, Bangladesh ended the day on 88 for 3 in their own first innings.

The West Indies had resumed on Friday on 235 for 4. Hasan struck with the second new ball, bowling overnight centurion Amir Jangoo for 133 and then dismissing Roston Chase off the very next ball.

Jangoo made 133 from 212 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes. He had been unbeaten on 111 overnight.

With a hat-trick in sight, Hasan had Joshua Bishop given out leg before wicket, but Bishop survived on review, leaving the hat-trick celebration unfulfilled.

Bishop then survived a dropped return catch and hit Hasan for two fours in the next over. But Hasan removed him with the first ball of the 90th over to complete his five-wicket haul, with wicketkeeper Liton Das stumping Bishop for 23.

After lunch, Hasan bowled Shamar Joseph to complete six wickets in the innings for the second time. After Warrican and Jayden Seales added 33 for the last wicket, Miraz trapped Seales leg before wicket to wrap up the Caribbean innings on 356.

Hasan finished with 6 for 90. Taskin and Miraz took two wickets each, while Taijul and Nayeem went wicketless.

With the fifth five-wicket haul of his career, Hasan Mahmud set a new record for the most five-wicket hauls by a Bangladeshi pacer. He had been joint top with former pacer Shahadat Hossain on four each; now he stands alone at the top.

He became only the second bowler in the world to take his first five five-wicket hauls against five different countries; previously only Australian spin legend Nathan Lyon had achieved the feat in Test cricket. Besides the West Indies and Afghanistan, Hasan has taken five wickets against Australia, Pakistan and India in Tests. He also became the first Bangladeshi pacer to take a wicket via a stumping in Tests.

This was Hasan’s first five-wicket haul on home soil. He had taken five wickets against Afghanistan just last October, and has repeated the feat within a month.

Bangladesh made a poor start in reply. With regular opener Sadman Islam unable to play through injury, spinner Nayeem Hasan opened the batting for the first time in his career but fell for just 5, caught in the slips off Jayden Seales. The other opener, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, also failed to last long, departing for 16 after driving down the wicket off Justin Greaves and being caught by Kevin Wickham.

After losing both openers with only 22 on the board, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto tried to resist but was bowled for 18 by a 141 km/h inswinger from Shamar Joseph. Bangladesh had lost three wickets for just 51 and were in deep batting trouble.

Towhid Hridoy then began the fightback with experienced Mushfiqur Rahim at the fourth wicket. At one stage Hridoy survived after skying a catch off Jomel Warrican; the Caribbean spinner injured a finger trying to take the catch. At the other end, Mushfiq also survived a strong leg-before appeal on umpire’s call.

Bangladesh closed the day on 88 for 3 in 40 overs, with Hridoy unbeaten on 29 and Mushfiq on 19. Bangladesh still trail by 268 runs in the first innings, and on Saturday, the third day, they will rely on this pair to fight their way back into the match.