The opening day of the first Test match between Bangladesh and South Africa at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka kicked off with excitement, as Bangladesh’s fast bowler Hasan Mahmud produced a moment of brilliance to dismiss South African captain Aiden Markram.
In South Africa’s first innings, Mahmud bowled a stunning inswinger that left Markram completely undone, providing an early breakthrough for the hosts.
Hasan Mahmud stuns Aiden Markram with an inswinger
The wicket came in the very first over of South Africa’s innings. Mahmud delivered a beautifully executed inswinger to Markram, catching the skipper off guard. The ball, pitched at a good length, nipped in sharply after hitting the surface. Markram stuck on the back foot, attempted to defend the delivery with a straight bat but was beaten by the movement. The ball missed the outside edge and crashed into the top of the middle stump. Markram was dismissed for 6 runs off 7 balls, leaving South Africa at an early loss. This superb delivery set the tone for what was shaping up to be an eventful day of Test cricket.
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South Africa’s steady start with the ball
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s batting lineup faltered, as they were bowled out for just 106 in their first innings. South Africa’s bowlers put on a clinical performance, with their attack proving too much for the Bangladeshi batters. Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj were the standout performers, each claiming three wickets. While Dane Piedt added one wicket to the tally, Maharaj was the most economical, conceding just 2.10 runs per over, contributing to Bangladesh’s downfall.
After dismissing Bangladesh, the Proteas began their first innings cautiously. However, they faced challenges of their own, as Mahmud’s brilliant bowling continued to keep the pressure on the hosts. By the end of the second session, South Africa were 65 for the loss of two wickets. The team still trailed by 41 runs at the tea break, with the match finely poised heading into the final session of the day.