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Najmul Hossain Shanto scored an unbeaten fifty as Bangladesh took a lead of 112 runs with six wickets remaining in their second innings on a rain-hit third day of the ongoing first Test against Zimbabwe at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Bangladesh managed 194-4 in 57 overs after getting all out for 191 in the first innings.

Shanto was batting on 60 after getting a reprieve on 26, while Jaker Ali remained unbeaten on 21 when bad light brought an early end to a day where only 44 overs of play were possible.

Rain and subsequent wet outfield washed away the entire first session on the third morning. Blessing Muzarabani’s extra bounce did the first damage as it was too hot for Mahmudul Hasan to handle after making 33, his highest in nine innings. He added 60 runs with Mominul Haque.

Mominul and Shanto then brought their second fifty-run partnership of the Test. But once again it stopped at sixties as Mominul was caught behind off Victor Nyauchi, being three short of his second fifty of the match.

Mushfiqur Rahim’s poor form continued as he poked at a fourth-stump line delivery off Muzarabani after making just four.

The dismissal at the start of the stroke of tea break gave the Zimbabweans a sense of hope, as they perceived an opening. However, Shanto and Jaker managed to get through in their 39-run unbroken stand.

Mominul later said that Bangladesh were eyeing setting a target of around 300.

‘It’ll be very good if we can set a target of 300. 270-280 isn’t bad either. But we will be in a strong position if the target is around 300,’ said Mominul after the day’s play.

But the left-handed batter admitted that the game was still in balance. However, the hosts remained confident.

‘Obviously [the game is still in the balance]. That’s why the two batters who are batting – and then there is Miraz – everyone will have to bat accordingly,’ said Mominul.

‘There will be time tomorrow morning when the batting will be tough. In those crunch moments, we will have to bat carefully. We will have to bat long.

‘The partnership between me and Shanto dragged us a bit. If there’s another fifty-run partnership and that can be converted into 150-odd runs, then our desired target will be possible,’ the former captain added. 

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, were only thinking about taking wickets.

Muzarabani, who took three wickets so far in the second innings, said, ‘It will be ideal if our target is under two hundred runs. We shouldn’t, however, think about the runs. We should think about taking wickets. It won’t be easy getting those Bangladesh wickets. We have to show more discipline.’

But he also mentioned that there was a lot to play for.

‘We are definitely in the game. Test cricket is all about day after day. There’s more time left in the game. We have the belief that we are ahead,’ Muzarabani added.