Bangladesh declared their first innings on 587 for 8 on the third day of the Sylhet Test, setting Ireland a 301-run deficit. Najmul Hossain Shanto struck his eighth Test century and fourth as captain, reaching 100 off 114 balls with 14 boundaries before being trapped lbw by Andy McBrine.
Shanto’s innings came after Bangladesh had lost two early wickets in the morning session, and he added 79 runs with Mushfiqur Rahim and 98 for the fourth wicket with Litton Das, who made a quick 60 off 66 deliveries. Shanto’s timing on leg-side shots and occasional straight drives kept the scoring rate healthy.
Ireland’s fast bowler, Barry McCarthy, gave the visitors a strong start on day three, removing Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Mominul Haque early. Despite Mahmudul’s 171, which included 14 fours and four sixes, Ireland struggled to gain momentum.
Matthew Humphreys was the standout bowler for Ireland, finishing with five wickets for 170 runs, providing some resistance and keeping the home side on alert. With nine wickets remaining in their second innings (61/1- 17 overs), Ireland face a challenging task to avoid defeat.
