Litton banks on spinners to secure Abu Dhabi Test victory
Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das expects Bangladesh spinners to play a decisive role on Day 5 as the Tigers chase victory against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.
Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das is counting on Bangladesh’s slow bowlers to make a decisive impact on the final day as the Tigers push for victory in their one-off Test against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.
After benefiting from reprieves on 14, 26 and 67, Litton struck a magnificent 102 off 117 balls, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz remained unbeaten on 52, steering Bangladesh to a second-innings declaration at 372 for seven and setting a daunting target of 479.
Afghanistan stumbled early in their chase, losing Abdul Malik and Shahidullah Kamal to slip to 28 for two before Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal steadied the innings with an 82-run partnership for the third wicket.
Although Ebadot Hossain eventually broke through by removing Rahmat for 51, Atal and Hashmatullah Shahidi safely negotiated the remaining overs to guide Afghanistan to 132 for three at stumps on the fourth day.
While the pace attack accounted for all three wickets on Monday—with Ebadot claiming two and Hasan Mahmud chipping in with one—the frontline spinners toiled through 28 wicketless overs on a surface that has predominantly favoured fast bowlers throughout the match.
Litton remains optimistic that the deteriorating fifth-day surface will offer greater assistance and turn from the rough patches for the slow bowling trio of Mehidy, Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan.
“The wicket is not very spin-friendly, but going into day five, the ball often starts to turn from the rough patches. I hope our spinners will bowl in good areas... they are already bowling in good areas, they will apply pressure by bowling in even better areas, and if they get a little help from the wicket, the job will be easier for them,” Litton explained after the day's play.
Litton has also enjoyed a stellar individual outing, notching his seventh Test century following three consecutive ducks in Australia, while his eight dismissals behind the stumps broke Khaled Mashud's long-standing Bangladesh record of seven set against Zimbabwe in 2004.