Bangladesh avoided the follow-on on the third day of the second Test against West Indies, reaching 157/5 at the drinks break after Towhid Hridoy struck his maiden Test half-century at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Resuming the day at 88/3, Bangladesh lost two wickets in the first hour as Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das departed in quick succession. However, Hridoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took the hosts past the follow-on mark of 157. Bangladesh still trailed West Indies by 199 runs.
West Indies had posted 356 in their first innings, while Bangladesh were struggling at 56/3 on the second day. Hridoy and Mushfiqur then shared a 73-run fourth-wicket partnership to revive the innings.
Hridoy brought up his maiden Test fifty with a square cut for four off Joshua Bishop, reaching the landmark off 109 balls. He was unbeaten on 61 at the drinks break, while Miraz was batting on 10.
The partnership with Mushfiqur lasted 151 balls before Jomel Warrican broke through with a flighted delivery. Mushfiqur’s attempted shot ended in a catch to Brandon King at short cover. He scored 34 off 76 balls, including four boundaries, and fell nine runs short of becoming the first Bangladeshi batter to score 7,000 Test runs.
Litton followed soon after, falling to a similar dismissal. Attempting a lofted cover drive against Warrican, he was caught by King at short cover for eight.
Warrican claimed two wickets, while Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales and Justin Greaves took one each.
