Mushfiqur Rahim Stars As Bangladesh Defeat Ireland By Seven Wickets In One-off Test

Mushfiqur Rahim stars as Bangladesh defeat Ireland by seven wickets in one-off Test (Image Source: IANS)

On the back of wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim's 51 not out, Bangladesh put a halt to Ireland's fightback in the one-off Test by securing a seven-wicket win in the second session of day four's play at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Ireland made 259 for the loss of just four wickets on day three, recovering from 27/4 to spark hopes of an unlikely triumph. Andy McBrine was key to their hopes overnight, resuming unbeaten on 71 having entered at 123/6.

However, he was only able to add one to his overnight score on day four, with Ireland losing two wickets for six runs. Ebadot Hossain did the damage, sending McBrine's off-stump cartwheeling before nicking off Graham Hume as Ireland made 292 in their second innings.

That left Bangladesh needing 138 to win. Litton Das hit 23 off 19 before becoming the first wicket to fall, a sharp bouncer from Mark Adair in the fifth over hitting Das in the helmet and rebounding onto the stumps.

One brought two, with Najmul Hossain Shanto undone by McBrine. He extracted some extra bounce to take the edge, captain Andrew Balbirnie completing a low catch at slip which was confirmed on review.

With the target still nearly 100 runs away and two wickets falling in succession, Rahim took the game away from Ireland for the second time in the Test. He finished unbeaten on 51 off 48 balls, taking Bangladesh to a seven-wicket win to break their nine-match losing streak in the format, with Tamim Iqbal the only other wicket to fall, miscuing a pull shot off Ben White.

While Ireland is still searching for a maiden Test win, the game will be fondly remembered for McBrine claiming Ireland's first Test six-for in the first innings before showing his value with the bat, while Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker both shone with the bat.

Tector made two half-centuries while Tucker became just the sixth Test wicketkeeper in history to make a century on debut.

Ireland's Test schedule continues against Sri Lanka, with a two-match series beginning on April 16.