WI vs BAN 2nd Test Day 2: Hasan Mahmud Six-Wicket Haul Revives Bangladesh Before Late Collapse

SYLHET: A sensational six-wicket haul by Hasan Mahmud brought Bangladesh roaring back into the contest before a combined batting collapse and an unfortunate injury to opener Shadman Islam left the hosts fighting to stay afloat on WI vs BAN 2nd Test Day 2.

At the close of a day 2 play, Bangladesh limped to 88 for 3 at Stumps, still trailing the West Indies by a daunting 268 runs. The visitors had earlier collapsed from a position of absolute control to be bowled out for 356 in their first innings.

The narrative of the morning belonged entirely to Hasan Mahmud's six-wicket masterclass. Resuming from a Day 1 score of 235/4, the West Indies looked poised for a massive total. Overnight centurion Amir Jangoo continued his sublime form, anchoring the innings with a majestic 133, while the reliable Justin Greaves provided valuable support with 51. The pair looked untroubled, rotating strike and frustrating the home side’s bowling attack.

However, Hasan Mahmud triggered a spectacular collapse with the second new ball. The right-arm speedster tore through the West Indian lower order. He accounted for Jangoo and clean-bowled the tailenders in rapid succession. His phenomenal figures of 6 for 90 marked his maiden five-wicket haul on home soil, single-handedly restricting the West Indies to 356 when a total well beyond 400 seemed a certainty.

Bangladesh’s reply, however, got off to a disastrous start. Jayden Seales and Justin Greaves extracted early bounce and swing under overcast skies, rocking the Bangladesh top order. Nayeem Hasan  and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto fell cheaply, leaving the hosts in a precarious position.

Compounding Bangladesh's misery was a distressing injury to batsman Shadman Islam. Attempting a quick single, the left-hander twisted his ankle awkwardly and collapsed in visible pain. Unable to put any weight on his leg, Shadman had to be carried off the field on a stretcher. With his availability for the rest of the match under serious cloud, Bangladesh effectively found themselves three wickets down for just 51 runs.

With the team staring down the barrel, the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim joined forces with Towhid Hridoy. The duo exhibited immense grit. Hridoy played a few counter-attacking strokes to finish on an unbeaten 29, while Rahim used his vast experience to navigate the tricky evening phase, reaching 19 not out.

Their unfinished 37-run partnership offered a glimmer of resilience before bad light forced the umpires to call an early end to the day's play. Going into Day 3, the onus lies heavily on this pair to guide Bangladesh closer to safety, while the West Indies remain firmly in the driver's seat.