Bangladesh 346 (Tanzid 83, Shadman 67, Litton 53, Saleem 4-82) and 372 for 7 (Litton 102, Shanto 82, Mushfiqur 81, Saleem 2-69) drew with Afghanistan 240 (Rahmat 105, Malik 62, Mahmud 5-55) and 346 for 8 (Atal 111, Rahmat 51, Qais 49*, Ebadot 3-50)
Afghanistan heroically fended off Bangladesh to draw the one-off Test in Abu Dhabi. With lights fast fading, Qais Ahmad sealed the result with a six off the last ball of the Test match. He exchanged a fist-bump with Zia-ur-Rehman, while the Bangladesh fielders remained crouched in their positions, exhausted after bowling 142 overs in the fourth innings.
Sediqullah Atal was Afghanistan’s protagonist for the draw. The usually attacking left-hander curbed all his instincts to produce an innings that could define his Test career. He had already faced 126 balls on the fourth evening, and survived an early chance when his forward press nearly went into the hands of silly point. Atal struck 111 off 332 balls, having batted for eight hours and 34 minutes. It is seventh-longest recorded knock in the fourth innings of a Test match. It is also the first century by an Afghan batter in the fourth innings, and their third-longest innings in Test history.
Once Taijul ended Atal’s vigil, Bangladesh may have felt like they had an opening. It also brought a bit of chaos to the crease. Yamin Ahmadzai inside-edged a ball that rolled onto the stumps but did not dislodge the bails. Then Qais survived a run-out chance when he went back for a second run but Ahmadzai, who was limping, sent him back. He would have been well short had Nayeem Hasan hit the stumps with his underarm throw, or relayed Najmul Hossain Shanto’s throw to Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was at the stumps. There was another chance on the next ball when the pair found themselves stranded in the middle, but Ahmadzai made it with a dive.
Qais and Yamin Ahmadzai eventually battled it out for 18.2 overs. Mehidy managed to dislodge Ahmadzai, who faced 85 balls for his 19. With ten minutes remaining in the match, Qais fell to the ground clutching his glute, reminiscent of Gulbadin Naib’s similar action in the T20 World Cup in 2024. Qais, though, appeared to be in genuine discomfort and needed assistance. Qais and Zia then saw out the last five overs of the match.
Afghanistan suffered a literal blow in the third over of the morning. Hasan Mahmud’s throw struck Hashmatullah Shahidi on the knee, and he had to retire hurt at that stage. Atal was steady at the other end, mixing his defense with occasional boundaries. He went inside out against Mehidy for his first four of the day, before reaching his half-century off Ebadot Hossain. He smoked Taijul for two sixes thereafter, though he nearly got himself hit wicket off the same bowler. Attempting to defend a quicker delivery from Taijul, he lost control of his bat, which flew over his shoulder and landed just beyond the stumps.
Ebadot then removed Ikram Alikhil just before lunch to give Bangladesh the breakthrough. Litton Das dove down the legside to complete the catch, becoming the first wicketkeeper to score a century, a fifty and effect nine dismissals in a Test match. Shortly after lunch, he missed a stumping attempt on Atal on 70.
Atal followed that with two fours off Bangladesh’s pacers, while Ismat Alam’s scoreless vigil continued at the other end. Alam squeezed a single off the 45th ball he faced. Soon after, Atal got to his maiden Test hundred off 277 balls with a pull.
Alam fell to Mehidy shortly afterwards, the dismissal drawing an emotional reaction from the allrounder. He was later seen sobbing in the dugout. Shahidi returned to the crease with a bit of aggression. After edging Mahmud for a four, he struck Taijul for a six and four, both down the ground. He, however, holed out to mid-on for 36 in a bid to go big once more before tea.
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