1st Test, Day 1: Mominul Haque equals Virat Kohli's record as Bangladesh reach 315/8 vs West Indies
Mominul Haque equaled the Bangladesh record with his eighth test century as he propelled the hosts to 315-8 against the West Indies on the opening day Thursday of the first Test.
Haque's 120 off 167 balls, featuring 10 boundaries and one six, was his sixth century at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in just eight Test matches.
The left-hander also hit a peak reached by only Virat Kohli this year, matching the India captain's feat of four Test hundreds in 2018. No other batsmen have more than two.
"Talking of Tamim Iqbal, there is no question of comparing me with him," Haque said. "He (Tamim) is on another level in world cricket. I don't think it's right to compare me with him, and Virat Kohli is even higher. I don't think about these things."
His dismissal by Shannon Gabriel triggered a collapse, as the fast bowler took four wickets in 18 balls after tea, dropping Bangladesh from 222-3 to 235-7.
"The whole blame falls on me, that's the way I am thinking," Haque said of the collapse.
The lower order showed grit to recover, and at stumps, Taijul Islam was on 32 and debutant Nayeem Hasan on 24 in a 56-run unbroken stand for the ninth wicket.
Haque went to the crease in the first over of the day after the dismissal of Soumya Sarkar, whose first Test innings in a year lasted just two deliveries.
Haque shared a 104-run, second-wicket partnership with Imrul Kayes, who contributed 44 before he was out on the stroke of lunch, tapping a turning delivery off left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican to short leg.
Kayes was dropped on 3 by Roston Chase at second slip off Kemar Roach, and on 16, when he holed out to deep square leg but Warrican was ruled to have no-balled.
Haque shared two more significant partnerships — 48 with Mohammad Mithun (20) and 69 with skipper Shakib Al Hasan (34) to see the side pass 200 against the West Indies for the first time in four years.
The West Indies had a chance to remove Haque on 67, but wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich wasn't able to hold a catch off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo's bowling.
Bishoo extracted considerable turn and bounce off the pitch to trouble the Bangladesh batsmen, and was rewarded with the wicket of Mithun.
But Haque's dominance kept the Caribbean side at bay, and he equaled Tamim Iqbal's record eight Test hundreds in his 32nd test. He finally perished to a loose shot just after tea off a Gabriel full-length delivery outside off stump.
Gabriel was suddenly untouchable, as Mushfiqur Rahim (4), Mahmudullah (3) and Shakib were all beaten for pace. Gabriel has 4-69 off 18 overs. Warrican has 2-62.
"Shannon bowled very well to get those four quick wickets. He brought us back in the game, Warrican said. "But unfortunately they finished well as a team and put the momentum back in Bangladesh's hands."
They were thwarted in the last session, as Mehidy Hasan (22), Nayeem Hasan and Taijul dug in.
"Compared to other wickets this one is a bit slower and takes more turn," Haque said.
