Hasan Mahmud credited Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and wicketkeeper Litton Das for helping him complete a historic Test hat-trick against Afghanistan, with the pair convincing him to review the decision that gave him his third wicket on the third day in Abu Dhabi.
Hasan was unsure whether to challenge the on-field decision against Zia-ur-Rehman, but Shanto and Litton believed the delivery would have hit the stumps. Their advice proved decisive as the review overturned the not-out call and completed the pacer’s hat-trick.
“Credit to the captain and Litton Das for talking and chatting with each other. They corrected me and said it was going to hit, so I could take the review,” Hasan told the broadcaster.
The achievement made Hasan the first Bangladesh fast bowler to take a Test hat-trick. He had bowled Ismat Alam before Qais Ahmad edged behind to Litton, setting up the review against Zia. Hasan became only the third Bangladesh bowler to take a Test hat-trick, after Alok Kapali and Sohag Gazi.
Hasan finished with 5-38 as Afghanistan were dismissed for 240 in their first innings, losing their final six wickets for just 23 runs. Bangladesh took a 106-run lead and reached 223-6 in their second innings at stumps, stretching their overall advantage to 329.
The five-wicket haul was a reward for Hasan’s persistence after he managed only one wicket on the previous day. The pacer said he remained calm and focused on bowling straight rather than worrying about his figures.
“When you start bowling, you try to bowl upright, swing the ball and get wickets. I was just trying that and bowling across. I was very pleased to see this kind of moment in the morning. Yesterday, I got only one wicket in the whole day, but I wasn’t nervous at all. I was looking forward and just felt I should bowl straight and let the ball do its job,” he said.
The haul was Hasan’s fourth five-wicket return in Test cricket, drawing him level with Shahadat Hossain for the most five-fors by a Bangladesh fast bowler.
Hasan now hopes to carry that form into Bangladesh’s upcoming Test assignments, including their World Test Championship campaign and the tour of South Africa. He also praised the encouragement he received from teammates throughout the spell.
“I just want to keep going like that always, and look forward to the Test Championship and going to South Africa for Test matches. It’s a big Test. Everybody kept cheering me up till the last ball, so it feels very good to get feedback from your teammates,” he said.
The pacer expects the Abu Dhabi pitch to offer more assistance to the spinners as the match progresses, with the surface likely to turn further. He said Bangladesh would stick to the same disciplined approach with the ball.
“Maybe it’s going to be helpful for our spinners as well tomorrow. As the day goes on, the pitch turns more, so maybe it will be good for the spinners. I think we’re going to follow the same process, keep coming with the new ball and hit the right lengths,” he said.
