Sediqullah Atal maiden test century earns Afghanistan epic draw against Bangladesh

In order to draw the one-off Test against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan batted through an action-packed final day and finished on 346/8 after being set at 479 to win. The team made it through a tense final session thanks to Qais Ahmad's unbeaten 49 off 80 balls and Sediqullah Atal's maiden Test hundred of 111 off 332 balls. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Ebadot Hossain took three wickets each, but fielding lapses on the final day cost Bangladesh.

Afghanistan lost Hashmatullah Shahidi early in the morning on 132/3 when he was struck on the right knee by a deep throw, causing him to retire hurt. After that, Taijul Islam only occasionally got the ball to kick up from the rough as Atal and Ikram Alikhil batted through the majority of the first session on a pitch that offered little in the way of support.

Atal reached his fifty off 166 balls and survived a missed stumping on 70 later in the day, when Litton Das fumbled the chance off Taijul.

Alikhil gloved a pull down the leg side, ending a 66-run stand, and Litton dived to his right to take a one-handed catch thanks to Ebadot's short-ball strategy just before Lunch. Soon after lunch, Bangladesh took the second new ball, but they were unable to separate Atal and Ismat Alam, who only made four out of sixty attempts.

Atal brought up his hundred with a pull off Hasan Mahmud in the 97th over, becoming the first Afghanistan batter to score a Test century in the fourth innings. Mehidy hit in the next over, and Najmul Hossain Shanto at slip was hit by Alam, who deflected the ball off Litton's pad. Shahidi, who had retired hurt in the morning, returned to bat and made 36 off 69 before holing out to Hasan off Mehidy just before Tea, leaving Afghanistan at 265/6.

Atal's innings ended eleven overs into the final session, when a faint edge off Taijul lobbed off his pad to Tanzid Hasan at short leg.

Bangladesh were in control at 281/7 with approximately 23 overs remaining, but their fielding let them down. In the subsequent over, Yamin Ahmadzai's inside edge rolled onto the stumps without dislodging the bails, resulting in two missed run-out chances from consecutive balls. Hasan dropped Qais again at deep mid-wicket off Mehidy at silly point. Qais and Ahmadzai added 45 off 110 balls before Mominul Haque took a diving catch at short leg to remove Ahmadzai for 19 with five overs left.

Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar blocked out 12 balls without scoring, while Qais took a lengthy break for treatment on his hamstring in the closing overs. In the final over, he hit Taijul for two sixes to remain unbeaten on 49.