Taijul reaches 200 Test wickets, keeps Bangladesh in hunt with five-for

South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke, making his Test debut for South Africa, had no idea of where his off-stump was as Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam weaved his spin magic all around him and bowled an arm ball that just straightened slightly instead of coming in with the angle or going away with the turn to hit the off-stump. 

Breetzke was found gaping in awe of disbelief as he now couldn’t muster to think why had let the ball go in the first instance. That was how the left-arm spinner became only the second Bangladeshi to achieve the rare feat of taking 200 wickets in the longest format of the game. 

The 32-year-old beat fellow left-arm tweaker Shakib Al Hasan in the race to be the fastest Bangladeshi to reach the milestone, getting there in only his 48th Test. 

Shakib, who was to play his farewell Test in this game, but could not even reach Dhaka fearing for his life as threats loomed large from protesting groups, had taken his 200th Test wickets in his 54th match. 

It was not only about taking the 200th wicket, Tailjul went on to claim a five-wicket haul, which kept Bangladesh in the hunt in the first Test after the end of Day 1 in Dhaka on October 21. 

Despite being bowled out for 106, Bangladesh have conceded only 34 runs lead and have South Africa six down. It could have been eight down too had a few chances carried and the lead could have been shorter as well, but Taijul and Bangladesh leaked runs to Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreyene in the last half an hour of the day’s play. 

The partnership for the seventh wicket is now 32-strong, the second-biggest of the match. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who is also playing his 48th Test, has remained wicketless so far. 

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