Rain had a major say on the third day’s play of the Sylhet Test. Bangladesh moved to 194 for 4 before play was called off at 5pm local time due to bad light, although play could be extended up to 6pm after rain had washed out the first three hours of the day.

The hosts could bat for only 44 overs. They lost three wickets, and added 137 runs. Captain Najimul Hossain Shanto,  who went unbeaten on 60, reached his half-century during a rearguard fifth-wicket partnership with Jaker Ali.

It was Blessing Muzarabani who rocked Bangladesh within the first hour after play started on the third afternoon. He bowled with a slower run-up but often brought up his pace with the short deliveries. Muzarabani tested Mahmudul Hasan Joy with the short ball a few times, before the Bangladesh opener fended one to first slip. Mahmudul made 33 off 65 balls with six boundaries, stretching his lean run of form. He has now played 17 innings without a half-century, the last one coming in Sylhet in November 2023.

Meanwhile, Shanto got the ball rolling with some confident shots, before he edged one off Wessly Madhevere when on 26. For the second time in the game though, wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo dropped a sitter.

The third-wicket stand between Shanto and Mominul Haque kept Bangladesh stable, but once again, it was the short ball that rocked Bangladesh. Victor Nyauchi got one to rear up at Mominul, who had little room to move out of the way once he had committed to it. Thankfully for Zimbabwe, though, Mayavo held on to the chance.

Shanto and Mominul had added 65 for the third wicket. Mominul made 47 off 86 balls to go with his half-century in the first innings.

Captain Craig Ervine then brought back Muzarabani to bowl at Mushfiqur Rahim closer to the tea interval. He bowled nine dot balls in a row to Mushfiqur before finding the outside edge with the tenth delivery. Ervine completed the catch at first slip as Bangladesh were reduced to 155 for 4 at tea.

Shanto reached his fifty shortly afterwards with a rousing cover drive off Wellington Masakadza. His fifth-wicket partnership with Jaker is increasingly looking like Bangladesh’s last resort to stay competitive in the game.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 191 in 61 overs and 194 for 4 in 57 overs (Najimul Hossain Shanto 60*, Jaker Ali 21*, Mahmudul Hassan Joy 33, Monimul Haque 47; Blessing Muzarabani 3-51) lead Zimbabwe 273 in 80.2 overs  (Sean Williams 59, Brian Bennett 57, Mehidy Hassan Miraz 5-52) by 112 runs

[Cricinfo]

Zimbabwe nosed ahead of Bangladesh after the second day’s play of the first Test in Sylhet with half-centuries from Brian Benett and Sean Williams  Their lower order and tail also resisted to add 80 runs for the last four wickets that got them a lead of 82. They finished the day by breaking Bangladesh’s opening stand, and the hosts are still 25 runs behind.

Bangladesh’s solace came in the form of  Mehidy Hasan Miraz ‘s first five-wicket haul at home in nearly two-and-a-half years. He finished with 5 for 52 after speedster Nahid Rana picked up three wickets, including those of the openers. Zimbabwe strung together small partnerships after the opening stand of 69, often dominating periods of play.

Bangladesh lost Shadman Islam in the evening for 4 in the fourth over, when a superb Blessing Muzarabani delivery had him edging to second slip. His opening partner Mahmdul Hasan Joy  got a reprieve on 6 in the following over when wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo dropped a regulation chance to his right.

Mahmudul finished the day unbeaten on 28, while Mominul Haque was on 15 when play was called off at 5.33pm.

Rana earlier gave Bangladesh their first breakthrough when he banged in a bouncer towards Ben Curran’s chest. The left-hand opener only managed to tap it to short leg where Mominul completed the catch diving forward. It ended Zimbabwe’s impressive opening stand that lasted 16.5 overs.

Rana then bowled a fuller delivery to get rid of Bennett, the other opener. Bennett was piercing the off-side field regularly, hitting eight of his ten boundaries in the range between backward point and cover. But when he looked to cut another ball square, it led to his downfall as he edged one behind on 57.

Hasan Mahmud joined in the act with a peach of an inswinger against No. 3 Nick Welch, who was bowled through the gate for 2. Captain Craig Ervine and Williams, Zimbabwe’s most experienced pair, steadied things for the next hour. They added 41 runs in 15 overs, before Rana had Ervine caught behind for 8.

It was another short ball that reared up high on Ervine, who couldn’t get his bat out of the way. The ball brushed the face of his bat and he was caught behind by Jaker Ali. Williams forged another promising stand, this time with Wessly Madhevere, in the course of which Williams reached his fourth Test fifty. He did that in style too, sweeping Taijul Islam for a six and a four to reach the landmark.

The 48-run partnership however ended when Madhevere played on to a Khaled Ahmed delivery, on 24. Williams too couldn’t kick on, mistiming a straight hit against Mehidy, caught by a tumbling Mahmudul running back from mid-off. Williams bent down in disbelief as he looked very well set, having scored 59 off 108 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.

Despite all their frontline batters back in the pavilion, Zimbabwe continued to fight. Mayavo made an enterprising 35 off 54 balls, including five fours, but he fell shortly after tea when Mehidy trapped him lbw. Wellington Masakadza played out 42 balls for his 6, and became Mehidy’s third victim, caught at cover.

The tall pair of Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava then took on the Bangladesh bowlers in a 36-run ninth-wicket stand. Muzarabani struck two fours and a massive six, over long-on, during his 17 off 16. Ngarava was unbeaten on 28 off 44 balls, including a lovely straight hit for a six off Mehidy. The offspinner finished things off when he had Muzarabani stumped and Victor Nyauchi caught in the covers, to complete his five-for.

Brief sores:
Bangladesh 191 in 61 overs  and 57 for 1 in 1 overs (Mahmudul Hasan Joy 28*, Mominul  Haque 15*, Blessing Muzarabani 1-21) trail  Zimbabwe 273 in 80.2 overs  (Sean Williams 59, Brian Bennett 57, Wessley Madhevere 24. Nyasha Mayavo 35, Richard Ngarava 28*; Nahid Rana 3-74,  Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-52) by 25 runs

[Cricinfo]