Afghanistan managed to keep away any further damage on day three of the one-off Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday after losing two wickets in the final session of the day followed by the loss of skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, who walked off retired hurt after getting hit by a bouncer on his helmet.
Bangladesh dominated proceedings throughout the day as they set the visitors a mountainous target of 662 having declared their second innings on 425 for four.
Bangladesh pacers Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed began proceedings with a bang with the ball as they removed both the Afghanistan openers—Ibrahim Zadran and Abdul Malik—in the first two overs of the innings to leave the visitors two down for seven.
Shoriful trapped Zadran lbw in the very first ball of the innings, and Taskin nicked off Malik for five runs in the second over.
Shahidi and Rahmat Shah tried to steady the ship with a 19-run stand before the former failed to duck under Taskin Ahmed`s bouncer, and the latter put on a 19-run partnership with Nasir Jamal to see out the day which got shortened due to bad light.
Rahmat remained not out on a 32-ball 10, while Nasir was unbeaten on a 15-ball five, with Afghanistan needing 617 runs more to win.
