Sawt Falasteen - Mominul, Najmul take Bangladesh to mammoth 614-run lead

Najmul Hossain became only the second Bangladeshi to score a century in each innings of a Test match, making 124 to go with his first innings score of 146.

Mominul, the other Bangladeshi to achieve that feat, was unbeaten on 95 alongside skipper Liton Das on 48, stretching the hosts' lead to a gargantuan 614 runs at the break.

Afghanistan toiled hard but could only take three wickets in two sessions, including two wickets in the same over off leg-spinner Zahir Khan.

Zahir ended the prolific innings of Najmul who gave a catch to Abdul Malik at short midwicket to end his 151-ball knock with 15 boundaries.

Mushfiqur Rahim hit a six soon after coming to the crease but an attempted reverse sweep in the next ball brought his downfall for eight as Ibrahim Zadran took the catch at slip.

Resuming at 134-1 overnight, Najmul and Zakir Hasan batted with confidence before Afghanistan got an unexpected breakthrough against the run of play.

The Bangladesh duo made 173 runs before Zakir was run out for 71.

An edge from the bat of Najmul raced to the boundary line, where Nasir Jamal stopped the ball and relayed it to Ibrahim.

Ibrahim's direct hit found Zakir well short while running for his third, ending their free-flowing partnership.

Zakir scored his second 50 in just his third Test.

Najmul was prolific at the other end, bringing his hundred with a single off Hashmatullah Shahidi in 115 balls.

Bangladesh scored 382 runs in the first innings and bowled out Afghanistan for 146.

Afghanistan won the only other Test between the two teams when they beat the home side by 224 runs at Chittagong in 2019.

V.AbuAwwad--SF-PST