Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz once again proved his mettle, rescuing his team from a precarious position against South Africa on the third morning of the Mirpur Test. After losing three wickets in the first 30 minutes, Mehidy and Jaker Ali forged an unbroken 89-run partnership for the seventh wicket, bringing Bangladesh within one run of making South Africa bat again.
Mehidy and Jaker’s resilience stemmed from their unwavering focus on playing simple shots and avoiding unnecessary risks. Despite the persistent threat posed by Kagiso Rabada, who had already claimed four wickets by lunch, the duo remained composed and determined.
Rabada’s early strikes in the fourth over of the morning had put Bangladesh on the back foot. Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who had looked solid on the second day, chased a wide delivery and edged it to first slip for 40. Mushfiqur Rahim, another experienced batsman, fell in a similar fashion to his first-innings dismissal, leaving a gap between bat and pad as Rabada angled the ball into him.
Keshav Maharaj then accounted for Litton Das, who made only 7 after failing to score in the first innings. Captain Aiden Markram’s last-second decision to review the dismissal proved fruitful, as replays showed an edge from Litton’s shoulder.
However, South Africa’s early success did not translate into further breakthroughs in the remainder of the session. Mehidy’s elegant cover drives off Rabada and Wiaan Mulder set the tone for his partnership with Jaker, who swept Maharaj for his first boundary. Mehidy launched Dane Piedt over long-off for his first six and punished Maharaj for two fours in the 49th over.
Jaker also contributed with a boundary through extra cover off Piedt, and the pair reached a 50-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Mehidy and Jaker continued to frustrate South Africa, taking four runs each off Rabada in his second spell with square-cuts and pull shots.
As the session drew to a close, Bangladesh were just one run away from making South Africa bat again. Mehidy and Jaker’s partnership had not only saved their team from a potential innings defeat but had also given them a glimmer of hope for a positive result in the Test.
