Mushfiqur Rahim shrugged off Bangladesh's mid-innings jitters to hit a quickfire half-century Friday and seal a seven-wicket victory over Ireland in their one-off Dhaka Test.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ireland were bowled out for a second innings of 292 soon after resuming on the fourth day, and Mushfiqur top-scored for the hosts with seven fours among his 51 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We had no particular ambition to dominate before the start of the game. We wanted to win it and we did it. I am happy with that," said Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We never feared a defeat. In Tests you get time to bounce back... so none of us thought we could lose this game."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Opener Tamim Iqbal made 31 and put on 62 runs with Mushfiqur for the third wicket. after Ireland saw a glimmer of hope with two crucial early wickets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Liton Das gave Bangladesh a positive start but poor fortune saw him bowled for 23 as a Mark Adair bouncer struck him off the helmet and fell onto his stumps, dislodging the bails.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Three overs later, Najmul Hossain was caught by Andy Balbirnie at slip off Andy McBrine after making just four runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Najmul was initially declared not out by the on-field umpires but replays confirmed a fair catch to leave Ireland jubilant and Bangladesh reduced to 43-2.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But Mushfiqur and Tamim denied the visitors further success, taking Bangladesh to 89-2 by lunch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ben White dismissed Tamim after the break but Mominul Haque remained on 20 alongside Mushfiqur to take Bangladesh home.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bangladesh also had pacer Ebadot Hossain to thank when his two wickets wrapped up Ireland's innings at 292 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The tourists added just six runs to their overnight 286-8 after Ebadot forced last man Graham Hume to give a catch behind the stumps for 14.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
McBrine added just one run to his overnight 71 to give Ebadot a finish of 3-37.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
- 'Bit of a fright' -<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The visitors were staring down the barrel of an innings defeat on Thursday before debutant Lorcan Tucker became Ireland's second Test centurion with 108.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kevin O'Brien is the only other Irishman to have hit a Test century, scoring 118 against Pakistan during their maiden Test in 2018.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Harry Tector added 56 to lift Ireland from a precarious 13-4 and surmount a 155-run first-innings deficit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It was certainly backs-to-the-wall stuff on day two and a lot of people probably wrote us off yesterday but our day was as good a Test day as Ireland has had," said captain Balbirnie.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Having been 13 for four and to get a lead and hopefully give them a bit of a fright was good."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The visitors were all out for 214 runs in their first innings and Bangladesh posted 369 runs in response.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Mushfiqur put the hosts in the box seat on the second day with his first-innings knock of 126.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This week's Test extends Ireland's losing streak in the five-day format. They have now lost all four Tests they have played since becoming a full member of the International Cricket Council in 2017.<\/p>\r\n\r\n