Najmul Hossain Shanto ton studs Bangladesh's opening day of control

Bangladesh enjoyed a solid return to Test cricket, reaching a commanding 301 for 4 on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. A magnificent century from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and his 170-run partnership with Mominul Haque – who fell nine short of a deserved hundred himself – formed the backbone of a dominant batting display.

There was plenty of apprehension early on when Shan Masood won the toss and elected to bowl on a pitch that, by Mirpur standards, carried an unusually generous covering of grass. Both teams acknowledged the conditions in their selections, opting for three seamers each. That decision appeared to be paying dividends in the opening hour. After the first two balls of the day raced away for boundaries, Pakistan's pacers tightened their grip considerably. Shaheen Shah Afridi drew a loose prod from Mahmudul Hasan Joy outside off stump, and Hasan Ali found just enough movement to nick off Shadman Islam, with Salman Agha completing the catch in the slip cordon. At 31 for 2, Bangladesh were in some difficulty.

What followed was a patient and clinical rescue act. Mominul and Shanto came together and set about dismantling the threat methodically, absorbing pressure while the surface's early assistance gradually faded. Pakistan's cause was not helped by a glaring missed chance in the slips, when a Mominul edge passed through the gap between Agha and debutant Abdullah Fazal without a finger being laid on it.

As the surface flattened and the batters grew in confidence, the run-scoring accelerated. Shaheen, nine overs into his spell, found his earlier potency deserting him, conceding nine runs in each of his first two overs of his second spell. Shanto shifted gears visibly, driving expansively through the off side and clearing the ropes off part-timer Agha for the day's first six. Bangladesh crossed three figures before lunch, and the partnership had well and truly taken root.

The post-lunch session was largely Shanto's to own. He took particular toll on Noman Ali, advancing down the pitch with confidence and threading the gaps over cover and mid-off repeatedly. Mominul provided the perfect contrast, understated and canny, working the late cut to great effect and soaking up pressure without fuss. Masood shuffled his five bowlers in search of a breakthrough, but the stand kept growing until Abbas intervened in the final over of the session, bringing it to 170.

The manner of Shanto's dismissal was as cruel as his innings was brilliant. Having reached his ninth Test century with a cover-driven boundary, he was undone first ball by Abbas coming around the wicket, who found enough movement back in to trap him on the knee roll. The initial not-out decision was overturned on review, with Hawkeye confirming the ball was crashing into the top of middle stump. Shanto departed to a standing ovation from a packed, sweltering Dhaka crowd, having struck 12 fours and two sixes to set his side up beautifully.

Mushfiqur Rahim took up the mantle in the final session and, alongside Mominul, continued to make Pakistan toil. The bowling grew increasingly wayward and the fielding increasingly sloppy, with extras piling up – 32 in all, including 16 byes – reflecting Pakistan's fraying discipline. The two added 75 before Noman struck to remove Mominul for 91, denying him a richly merited hundred. Mushfiqur closed unbeaten on 48, Litton Das his company on 8. A sluggish over rate, compounded by the extension, meant only 85 overs were possible despite an additional 30 minutes being added to the day.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 301/4 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 101, Mominul Haque 91; Mohammad Abbas 1-51) vs Pakistan