Bangladesh crush Afghanistan by 546 runs

Bangladesh crush Afghanistan by 546 runs

Bangladesh crushed Afghanistan by 546 runs on the fourth day of their one-off Test to secure the format's biggest victory margin by runs in nearly 90 years at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.

Taskin Ahmed was peak of Bangladesh bowlers in the second innings with 4-37 while Rahmat Shah top-scored for the visitors with 30.

Bangladesh’s previous biggest victory was against Zimbabwe in 2005 when they beat them by 226 runs.

Apart from Taskin, Shoriful Islam claimed 3-28 while Ebadot and Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed one wicket apiece to bowl out the visitors, who were chasing 662 runs for win, for 115 runs in their second innings.

Bangladesh, who were dismissed for 382 runs in their first innings, declared the second innings at 425-4 immediately after the tea of day three, while Afghanistan were all out for 146 in their first innings.

The visitors resumed their innings on 45-2, still trailing by 616 runs, with overnight batsmen Rahmat Shah and Nasir Jamal, who stood on 10 and five runs.

However, the duo could add 20 and one run more before they fell to Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain, respectively.

Bahir Shah, who came in as a concussion sub for skipper Hashmatullah Shahidy as the latter was hit in the helmet on the previous day by Taskin Ahmed’s bouncer, made seven.

Taskin then had Karim Janat and Yamin Ahmadazai for 18 and one, while Shoriful and Mehidy dismissed Afsar Zazai and Amir Hamza for six and one runs, respectively, before Zahir Khan was retired hurt for four as he suffered an elbow strain from a low bouncer by Taskin.