Bangladesh came within two wickets of a win in the one-off Test in Abu Dhabi, but Afghanistan batted out 142 overs on the final day to secure a draw at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. Set 479 to win, Afghanistan finished on 346 for 8, with opener Sediqullah Atal making 111 and Qais Ahmad an unbeaten 49. Litton Das, who scored 53 and 102 and took nine dismissals behind the stumps, was named Player of the Match.
Scorecard summary
| Innings | Score | Top batters | Top bowlers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh 1st | 346 (92.3 ov) | Tanzid Hasan 83 (71 balls), Shadman Islam 67, Litton Das 53 | Mohammad Saleem 4/82, Yamin Ahmadzai 3/79 |
| Afghanistan 1st | 240 (89.1 ov) | Rahmat Shah 105 (216 balls), Abdul Malik 62 | Hasan Mahmud 5/55, Ebadot Hossain 4/56 |
| Bangladesh 2nd | 372/7 dec (105.2 ov) | Litton Das 102 (117 balls), Najmul Hossain Shanto 82, Mushfiqur Rahim 81, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 52 | Yamin Ahmadzai, Mohammad Saleem and Zia-ur-Rehman 2 each |
| Afghanistan 2nd | 346/8 (142 ov) | Sediqullah Atal 111 (332 balls), Rahmat Shah 51, Qais Ahmad 49* | Ebadot Hossain 3/50, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 3/73 |
Result: Match drawn. Player of the Match: Litton Das.
A 106-run first-innings lead
Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and Bangladesh batted. Tanzid Hasan set the tone with a 71-ball 83, sharing a century opening stand with Shadman Islam, and Litton Das’s half-century took Bangladesh to 346. Seamer Mohammad Saleem led Afghanistan’s attack with four wickets.
Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah replied with 105, but Hasan Mahmud (5 for 55) and Ebadot Hossain (4 for 56) bowled them out for 240, giving Bangladesh a lead of 106.
Litton’s hundred sets up the declaration
In the second innings Shanto (82) and Mushfiqur Rahim (81) built the platform before Litton Das struck 102 off 117 balls. After Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s fifty, Bangladesh declared on 372 for 7, leaving Afghanistan a target of 479.
Atal’s vigil and a stubborn tail
Sediqullah Atal batted 332 balls for his 111 before Taijul Islam removed him with Afghanistan on 281 for 7. Qais Ahmad and Yamin Ahmadzai then added 45 for the eighth wicket, and although Yamin fell late, Bangladesh could not take another wicket as Afghanistan saw out 142 overs.
Litton’s all-round Test
Alongside his 53 and 102, Litton held eight catches and made one stumping: nine dismissals in the match. A fifty, a hundred and nine dismissals as wicketkeeper in the same Test earned him the match award.
Head-to-head in Tests
This was the third Test between the sides. Afghanistan won in Chattogram in 2019 and Bangladesh won in Mirpur in 2023. Abu Dhabi produced their first draw.
Next: ODI tri-series in Abu Dhabi
Bangladesh stay in the UAE for an ODI tri-series with Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, with Litton Das captaining the ODI side. All matches are at the Zayed Cricket Stadium at 5pm local time (7pm in Bangladesh, 6:30pm in India).
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| 17 October | Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe |
| 19 October | Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe |
| 21 October | Afghanistan vs Bangladesh |
| 23 October | Final (top two sides) |
Scores: ESPNcricinfo scorecard.
