POBNEWS24, Dhaka Dec 17, 2022 : The way Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan were batting until the midday break on the fourth day of the Chittagong Test, the hope of many was raised in the minds of many people – will the world record happen? The scenario changes with time. By the end of the day, losing a few wickets, that hope faded away. Bangladesh ended the fourth day with 272 runs for 6 wickets. Another 241 runs are needed on the fifth day tomorrow to win.
Bangladesh started the day with 42 runs without a wicket. Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan made an opening partnership of 124 runs. Shant’s 67 off 156 balls broke the partnership. On the other hand, Zakir Hasan scored a century in the debut Test. His innings stopped at 100 runs off 224 balls with 13 fours and 1 six. After that no one else could take responsibility. Bangladesh lost 6 wickets for 238 runs when Yasir Ali (5), Liton Das (19), Mushfiqur Rahim (23), Nurul Hasan (3) got out.
At the end of the day, captain Shakib Al Hasan is unbeaten with 40* runs and Mehdi Miraz is with 9* runs. Akshar Patel took 3 wickets for 50 runs in 27 overs. The target was 101 runs in front of Bangladesh in the only match they won by a run chase so far at home. That too in 2014 against Zimbabwe in Mirpur. However, Chittagong has a record of winning by chasing big scores in recent times.
West Indies chased down 395 runs against Bangladesh in February last year in Chittagong. Debutant Kyle Meyers became the ‘hero’ by playing an unbeaten innings of 210* runs in that match. No country has been able to win by chasing more than 418 runs in the fourth innings in the new history of Test cricket. Windies chased this score against Australia in St John’s in 2003. In 145 years, there have been only four instances of winning by chasing more than four hundred runs.
