Bangladesh slump to 79-6 as bad light cuts short Mirpur Test

Bangladesh stumbled to 79 for six in their second innings before fading daylight forced an early truncation on the third day of the opening Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Despite the top-order collapse, the hosts hold an overall lead of 106 runs heading into the penultimate day.

Nayeem Hasan and Jaker Ali were standing firm at the crease, both unbeaten on 18, having compiled an unbroken 26-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Jaker is currently participating in the fixture as a concussion substitute after Mominul Haque was forced to leave the field due to an injury.

The innings unravelled quickly as Bangladesh crashed to 35 for five. West Indies captain Roston Chase wreaked havoc with his off-spin, removing Shadman Islam for 13 through a straight delivery that breached the gap between bat and pad, before dismissing Towhid Hridoy for a duck as the batter holed out to mid-on attempting an aggressive sweep.

Chase then claimed the prized scalp of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, trapping him lbw for 10. Shanto opted for a review, but ball-tracking confirmed the delivery was crashing into the leg stump.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican compounded the misery by trapping Litton Das lbw for four and clean bowling Mehidy Hasan Miraz for nine with a sharp turning delivery that shattered the top of middle stump. Earlier in the morning session, Tanzid Hasan had fallen for a duck in the second over, caught at gully off Shamar Joseph.

Earlier, West Indies were bundled out for 245 in response to Bangladesh's first-innings total of 272, handing the hosts a slender 27-run advantage. Nayeem was the pick of the bowlers with figures of four for 33, while Taijul Islam and Mehidy chipped in with two wickets apiece to limit the visitors, despite half-centuries from John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul.