Bangladesh Need Seven Wickets as Afghanistan Chase Draw

Bangladesh require seven more wickets on the final day of the Test match to secure victory, with Afghanistan continuing to harbor hopes of a draw. At the close of day four, Afghanistan reached 132 for 3, leaving them needing a further 347 runs to chase down the target of 479.

Resuming their second innings on the fourth day at 223 for 6, Bangladesh bolstered their total thanks to an imposing 149-run seventh-wicket partnership between Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Litton notched up his 22nd career Test half-century and subsequently reached the milestone of 9,000 international runs before going on to score a brilliant 102 off 117 balls, laced with 14 boundaries. Meanwhile, Miraz remained unbeaten with a composed 52 off 97 deliveries.

Following Litton's dismissal, Bangladesh declared their second innings at 372 for 7, setting the visitors a daunting target of 479. The tourists struck early in Afghanistan's second chase when Ebadat Hossain removed opener Abdul Malik for 2 in the second over via a caught-behind dismissal. Hasan মাহমুদ then accounted for Shahidullah for 14, reducing the batting side to early trouble.

Despite the early setbacks, opener Sediqullah Atal and experienced batter Rahmat Shah steadied the innings through a resilient third-wicket stand. Rahmat anchored the recovery by compiling 51 runs from 124 deliveries before becoming Ebadat's second victim of the innings, caught behind just after completing his fifty.

Following Rahmat's departure, Atal joined forces with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi to navigate through to stumps safely. At the close of play on the fourth day, Atal remained unbeaten on 35 off 126 balls, while Shahidi was not out on 19 from 27 deliveries, leaving the contest finely poised ahead of the final day's play.