KHULNA, Bangladesh, CMC – Debutant Abul Hasan stunned West Indies with an electrifying unbeaten century as Bangladesh produced an incredible rally on the opening day of the second Test here yesterday.
The 20-year-old finished the day on an even hundred, a knock that propelled Bangladesh to 365 for eight after the innings lay in virtual ruins at 193 for eight.
He rewrote the history books to become only the second Test debutant in over a hundred years to make a century batting at number 10, an achievement that overshadowed fast bowler Fidel Edwards’ five-wicket haul.
Abul has so far shared an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 172 with Mahmudullah whose 72 was equally as entertaining.
With only a handful of first class matches behind him, the left-hander smashed 10 fours and three sixes off just 108 balls in an amazing innings.
Mahmudullah, meanwhile, counted nine fours off 89 balls for his second half-century of the series.
Nasir Hossain also hit a stroke-filled 52 while captain Mushfiqur Rahim chipped in with 38 while Tamim Iqbal scored 32.
West Indies dominated the first two sessions after Bangladesh won the toss and batted first at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, as Edwards and captain Darren Sammy (2-61), kept the hosts on the backfoot.
Edwards, in for the injured seamer Ravi Rampaul, struck the first blow in the day’s third over when he had Nazimuddin caught at forward short leg for four with the score on five.
Opener Tamim Iqbal (32) and Shahriar Nafees (26) then held up the West Indies progress with a 59-run second stand before Sammy accounted for both before lunch.
The left-handed Nafees had stroked four fours off 49 balls in 81 minutes at the crease when he edged Sammy behind at 64 for two, as he played a probing defensive shot.
Tamim, who hit four fours off 70 balls in 109 minutes of batting, followed 20 minutes before lunch when he offered no stroke to Sammy and lost his off-stump.
On 88 for three at the interval, Bangladesh’s innings saw more turmoil on resumption as they lost first Test batting heroes Naeem Islam (16) and Shakib Al Hasan (17) in quick succession, both falling to Edwards.
Naeem, who hit a century last week, dragged on in the second over after lunch as he drove at a wide delivery while Shakib was taken at the wicket off a thin inside edge.
Tottering at 98 for five, Nasir Hossain and Mushfiqur joined forces to stitch up the innings with an 87-run, sixth wicket stand.
Nasir struck eight fours and a six in an attractive innings that required 68 balls and lasted an hour-and-a-half while Mushfiqur spent two hours at the crease and counted five fours.
The partnership was threatening the Windies hold on the game when Nasir, against the run of play, holed out to mid-on off left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul four overs before the tea interval.
His dismissal triggered a slide where three wickets fell for eight runs in the space of 33 balls, as Mushfiqur and Sohag Gazi (0) perished quickly after tea.
This paved the way for Abul Hasan and Mahmudullah to launch their rescue mission and West Indies had little answer to the assault.
Dropped on 42 by Kieran Powell at short leg off Permaul, Abul Hasan flourished to play shots to all parts of the ground. In the very next over, he tore into Sammy with a four to third man and a six over long-off that raised his maiden half-century.
He also took a liking to part-time off-spinner Marlon Samuels, banging three boundaries in the right-armer’s second over that cost 12 runs.
Abul Hasan marched into the 80s by lofting Permaul over long-on for his third six and then easily coasted to three figures.