• Bangladesh need 3 wickets to record a historic Test win against New Zealand.

  • Taijul Islam bagged a sensational 4-wicket haul in the second innings.

Twitter reactions: Taijul Islam’s brilliance puts Bangladesh on the brink of win in first BAN vs NZ Test
Bangladesh are three wickets away from beating New Zealand in 1st Test (Image Source: Twitter)

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In a thrilling turn of events, Bangladesh have surged ahead in the ongoing first Test against New Zealand at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. As Day 4 concluded, the Tigers found themselves in a commanding position, leaving the Black Caps with a daunting task of chasing down 219 runs for victory.

Taijul Islam’s spectacular performance

Bangladesh owes its dominant position largely to the exceptional performance of Taijul Islam, who emerged as the wrecker-in-chief. The spinner showcased his prowess by claiming a sensational 4-wicket haul, leaving New Zealand reeling at 113/7. Taijul dismissed key batters such as Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Tom Blundell, and Kyle Jamieson, conceding just 40 runs in his 20 overs.

With New Zealand’s batting order collapsing, Daryl Mitchell remains the solitary recognized batsman for the visitors. Batting on 44, Mitchell’s resilience will be crucial as New Zealand faces an uphill battle to avoid defeat in the first Test.

Bangladesh set a big target

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh faced an early setback as Tim Southee removed Najmul Hossain Shanto, who had notched up a brilliant century with 105 runs. However, Mushfiqur Rahim steadied the ship with a composed half-century, scoring 67 runs from 116 balls. The 10th-wicket partnership between Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shoriful stretched Bangladesh’s lead, setting a formidable target of 332 runs.

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Taijul’s determination and Team’s confidence

Speaking about the team’s performance, Taijul Islam emphasized the importance of the potential victory. At the end of the day’s play, he remarked: “We need this victory badly because when you will beat a big team like New Zealand, it will give you the confidence. We won’t say we’ve won the game until we grab the last wicket.”

Also READ: ‘Lollypop de diya…’: Harbhajan Singh highlights irony behind BCCI picking Yuzvendra Chahal for ODIs in South Africa but not for T20Is

Here is how Twitter reacted:

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AKSHAT GAUR
Akshat is the Sr. Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, Akshat has honed his skills over 6 years, working with various media outlets, publications, and organizations to deliver high-quality content that informs, educates, and entertains audiences. He is just another cricket fan who’s grown up watching the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Cricket runs in his veins. Cover drive is his favorite sight, and a ball meeting the middle of the bat is his favorite sound. You can write to him at akshat.gaur@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.