Rescue act
Bangladesh were in dire straits at 26/6, tying their lowest total at the loss of the sixth wicket, a record they shared with a match in Durban against South Africa in 2022.Unlike that occasion, where they were bowled out for 53, Bangladesh managed to recover this time, achieving the highest ever total by a team after being six down for 50 or fewer. The previous record was Pakistan’s 255 after being 41/6 against England at The Oval in 1967.Litton Das’ unique record
Litton Das came to bat with Bangladesh in deep trouble at 26/5 and went on to score his fourth Test century. This hundred was made under significant pressure as he had previously scored hundreds after similar collapses, against Pakistan in Chattogram in 2021 (when he came in at 49/4) and against Sri Lanka in Mirpur in 2022 (when he came in at 24/5). Litton Das is now uniquely the first player to score three Test hundreds after entering at No. 6 or lower with his team’s score 50 or fewer.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (AFP Photo)
Mehidy Hasan Miraz breaks Moin Khan‘s record
Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributed significantly with a score of 78 runs, which is now the highest score by a batter coming in at No. 8 with the team’s total below 30. The previous record was held by Moin Khan, who scored 70 against India in Kolkata in the 1998-99 series when Pakistan was also at 26/6. Mehidy’s innings was vital in stabilizing the team’s score alongside Litton Das.
Historic stand
The 165-run stand between Litton and Mehidy is historic. It is the first instance of a seventh-wicket or lower partnership putting on more than 150 runs for a team that had not yet reached 50 runs. The previous best was Jonny Bairstow and Jamie Overton’s 241-run partnership for England after being 55/6 against New Zealand in Leeds in 2022.
Two big rearguard stands
In this series, Bangladesh achieved two 150-plus partnerships for the seventh or lower wicket. The first Test saw Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz add 196 runs for the seventh wicket. The only other time two such partnerships occurred in a single series was during New Zealand’s tour of South Africa in 2006.
Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s resolve ensured Bangladesh remained in contention, turning a potentially one-sided match into a competitive contest. This crucial partnership not only helped Bangladesh post a respectable total but also showcased the fighting spirit and resilience of their lower-order batsmen.