Ireland reached 94 for one at lunch on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet after winning the toss and choosing to bat, with Paul Stirling and Curtis Carmichael guiding the visitors to a solid position following an early scare.
Captain Andrew Balbirnie fell without scoring in the very first over, trapped lbw by Hasan Mahmud to leave Ireland reeling at nought for one. From there, Stirling and Carmichael rebuilt with calm assurance, absorbing pressure before finding fluency as the morning wore on.
Stirling looked composed throughout his unbeaten 58 from 73 balls, striking nine boundaries with crisp timing, while Carmichael offered steadiness at the other end, reaching the interval on 30 not out from 79 deliveries. Their unbroken 94-run stand for the second wicket helped Ireland recover from their shaky start.
Bangladesh’s bowlers worked hard without reward after Mahmud’s early success. The pacer finished with figures of seven overs, two maidens, 29 runs and one wicket. Taijul Islam’s nine overs for 25 runs kept the scoring in check, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled just one over before lunch.
A couple of missed chances in the field frustrated Bangladesh, who might have ended the session stronger. For Ireland, it was a session of quiet control, built on discipline and resolve after the early loss of their captain. The tourists will now look to build on that platform when play resumes after lunch.
