Bangladesh has taken firm command of the one-off Test in Abu Dhabi, reducing Afghanistan to 132/3 in pursuit of a daunting 479-run target. With only one day remaining, the batting side faces an uphill battle, requiring another 347 runs to pull off an unlikely victory. The fourth day concluded with Afghanistan in a precarious position, despite a resilient partnership between Sediqullah Atal and Rahmat Shah. Any chance Afghanistan had to keep the target well below 400 rested on their bowlers continuing the good work that saw them strike thrice late on the third day that saw Bangladesh go from 212/3 to 223/6.
The momentum shifted decisively in favor of the visitors as Litton Das dictated terms with a century, anchoring Bangladesh to a declaration at 372/7. The morning session saw Litton capitalize on early reprieves, scoring aggressively alongside Mehidy Hasan to push the lead well past the 400-run mark. Litton reached his milestone shortly after Mehidy secured his own half-century, prompting captain Najmul Hossain to declare the innings closed. Mohammad Safi was the standout for Afghanistan with the ball, claiming 2-69. Mehidy also picked up a couple of boundaries after the drinks break to pile on the pressure as Afghanistan struggled to find a breakthrough. It was all about Litton as he inched closer to his ton, post the lunch break. Immediately after Mehidy brought up a fifty, Litton reached three figures in the very next over.
Afghanistan’s massive chase began poorly, with Ebadot Hossain dismantling the top order within just seven balls. Abdul Malik was the first to depart, edging behind to the keeper, followed quickly by Shahidullah Kamal, who fell while attempting a pull shot. These early blows left Afghanistan reeling at 28/2, forcing a period of consolidation. Rahmat and Atal steadied the ship with a disciplined stand, showcasing patience against the Bangladeshi bowling attack.
The resistance was eventually broken just before stumps when Ebadot returned to claim the crucial wicket of Rahmat, who had just brought up his 51. The partnership had been the primary obstacle for Bangladesh, as both batters had successfully navigated several overs, including taking on spinner Taijul Islam. With Rahmat dismissed, Atal, currently unbeaten on 35, and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi successfully guided the team through to the close of play.
Heading into the final day, the statistical reality remains stark: Afghanistan requires 347 more runs, while Bangladesh needs seven wickets to secure the result. The brevity of the scoring, marked by Ebadot’s clinical 2-32, highlights the mounting pressure on the chasing side. The first-innings totals of 346 for Bangladesh and 240 for Afghanistan set the stage for this fourth-day surge, which has left the hosts fighting to survive the match.
