Mushfiqur, Mominul make it Tigers' day
There was a lot at stake for Bangladesh coming into the second and potentially series-saving Test against Zimbabwe on the back of eight consecutive sub-200 scores in their last four Test matches, all of which they lost. By the end of the first day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday, their score of 303 for five will surely provide huge relief after the humiliating 151-run defeat in the first Test.
The architects of putting the home side on top were Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim as both struck centuries and in the process registered a record 266-run stand for the fourth wicket for Bangladesh that seized the momentum after the customary poor start.
Mominul emerged from a lean patch to hit his seventh Test ton and was dismissed after a magnificent 161 off 247 balls, which included 19 fours, while a compact Mushfiqur registered his sixth hundred and remained unbeaten on 111 off 231 balls with nine fours.
The unpredictable Mirpur wicket offered moisture early in the innings, encouraging the three Zimbabwean seamers included in the lineup. And there was yet another early top-order collapse for Bangladesh after skipper Mahmudullah Riyad elected to bat. The Tigers made three changes from the first Test, including Mustafizur Rahman along with two debutants in Mohammad Mithun and pacer Khaled Ahmed.
Imrul Kayes was the first to be dismissed for a duck by an incoming Kyle Jarvis delivery which surprised the left-hander and took the inside edge through to wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva, who took a sharp catch diving to his right.
Liton Das also departed cheaply, caught at midwicket off an airy flick to become Jarvis's second victim. Mithun made things worse and will definitely want to forget the rash shot to be caught at second slip for a four-ball duck off a wide and full Donald Tiripano delivery which he could easily have left.
Bangladesh were reeling on 26 for three as Mominul and Mushfiqur then took on the humongous task of rebuilding the innings against a Zimbabwe attack with their tails up.
The conditions were still favouring the seamers and tested Mominul early in his innings as the left-hander looked very shaky in his shot selection and feet movement. He was lucky to survive on nine when he was dropped at point chasing a wide delivery.
Mushfiqur, however, remained clinical whether he was leaving deliveries or going for shots as the home side went to lunch without further damage on 56 for three.
Mominul was lucky again just after the break and survived an edge against off-spinner Sikandar Raza on 25, which the wicketkeeper failed to grab.
Since then, however, it was the left-hander who played the role of aggressor as the Tigers dominated the post-lunch session during which Mominul scored 90 of the 151 runs scored in the session and registered his third hundred of the year off 150 balls.
Mushfiqur, meanwhile, stayed in character as the patient partner and around the time tea was taken, the pair surpassed the previous record partnership of 180 for the fourth wicket between Mominul and Liton against Sri Lanka earlier this year.
Zimbabwe however managed the much needed breakthrough with the second new ball when Mominul was dismissed by a Tendai Chatara delivery in the last hour of the day.
Mushfiqur also registered a well-deserved sixth Test hundred, which came off 187 balls and his celebration after achieving the feat with a loud roar spoke volumes about the value of the innings both to team and individual.
The home side went on to lose another wicket, that of night-watchman Taijul Islam, before Mushfiqur negotiated the last over with caution, much like he did the entire day.