Bangladesh overcame a shaky start in the field to fight back on the opening day of the Sylhet Test, as debutant Hasan Murad and Mehidy Hasan Miraz led a strong spin effort to restrict Ireland to 270 for 8 at stumps on Tuesday.
Ireland’s innings was marked by early resilience, a mid-innings collapse, and late defiance. The visitors slipped from a comfortable position of 184 for 4 to losing four wickets for just 86 runs in the final session.
Winning the toss on a good batting surface, Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie’s decision to bat first backfired immediately when he was trapped leg before wicket by Hasan Mahmud for a duck in the opening over.
Paul Stirling and debutant Cade Carmichael then regained control for Ireland, taking advantage of Bangladesh’s poor catching to steady the innings. The pair added 94 runs for the second wicket after both were given reprieves in the opening session. Stirling, dropped twice, punished the bowlers with fluent stroke play, reaching his fifty off 68 balls. He went to lunch unbeaten on 58 alongside Carmichael, who provided steady support with 30 off 79 balls.
Bangladesh bounced back strongly after lunch. Nahid Rana broke the partnership in the first over of the second session when Stirling, on 60, edged a rising delivery to Shadman Islam at second slip. In the next over, Mehidy Hasan Miraz struck with DRS to remove Harry Tector for 1.
Miraz continued to make inroads by dismissing Carmichael for 59, who top-edged a reverse sweep and was brilliantly caught by skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto diving forward at short midwicket.
By tea, Ireland were 184 for 4, with Curtis Campher and Lorcan Tucker looking solid as they attempted to rebuild the innings. The final session, however, belonged to Bangladesh’s spinners.
Hasan Murad, the 24-year-old left-arm spinner making his debut, turned the game with a superb spell that brought him his first Test wickets. He removed both set batters, Campher for 44 and Tucker for 41, in quick succession. Mehidy Hasan Miraz also struck, dismissing Andy McBrine for 5 after the Irish all-rounder charged down the track and was smartly stumped by Litton Das.
Jordan Neill, another debutant, showed composure down the order, adding 48 runs with Barry McCarthy to take Ireland past 250 and frustrate the Bangladesh bowlers late in the day. Just when it seemed Ireland would finish strongly, Taijul Islam struck with the final ball of the day, trapping Neill leg before wicket for 30.
Miraz finished as the most successful bowler with 3 for 50, while Murad impressed on debut with 2 for 47. Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, and Nahid Rana picked up one wicket each.
Bangladesh’s fielding remained a concern, as they dropped five catches throughout the day, allowing Ireland to post a competitive total on a surface expected to assist spinners more as the match progresses.
Ireland will resume on Day Two at 270 for 8, hoping to push past 300, while Bangladesh will look to wrap up the tail quickly and begin their reply with the bat.
