A wonderful second test century from Towzid Hridoy and a record sixth-wicket partnership of 202 with Litton Das overshadowed Kagiso Rabada’s 18th five-wicket haul as Bangladesh reached a formidable 327 for six after choosing to bat first on the opening day of the first test against South Africa at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
25-year-old right hander, Hridoy, was in complete control for the final two sessions until he was trapped lbw by Marco Jansen with the final ball of the day’s play to depart for 137 from 227 balls. Rabada (17-3-51-5) earlier claimed three wickets in his opening spell in the morning to reduce Bangladesh to 22 for three and another two after lunch to reduce the innings to 121 for five. They had to wait another 50 overs for their only other success on the day.
The fourth-wicket partnership between opener Tanzid Hasan (67) and Hridoy reached 99 before Rabada once again broke through with another two wickets in successive deliveries to see the tourists slip from 121- for three to 121 for five. But that was when Hridoy took over and the wickets dried up completely for the home side
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐎𝐧𝐞 | 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐬 🤝 Bangladesh will aim to keep the scoreboard ticking at Wanderers 🇧🇩🔢 #SAvBAN | #SSCricket https://t.co/GKjY5GoMMX
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) November 15, 2026
He scored a national record 242* for a match aggregate of 324 in his last test against the West Indies just 10 days ago and there was no stopping him at the Wanderers as he cut, pulled and drove anything loose from the seamers but was happy to bide his time and leave the ball when necessary.
With the second new ball looming, Hridoy launched offspinner Simon Harmer for six over long on and added a trio of fours in an over which cost 19 runs, displaying the full range of his attacking armoury which was created in white ball cricket and the Bangladesh Premier League.
Das, too, benefitted from a pitch which quickly lost its morning spice under a hot afternoon sun and a ball which clearly became soft and ineffective as early as the 50th over. Nonetheless, his was a disciplined and chanceless innings containing a dozen boundaries while Hridoy collected 14 fours as well as the six.
It all started so differently in the morning with Rabada under full steam on a pitch with lavish pace and bounce. Mahfijul Islam Robin’s test debut ended immediately when he edged the first ball of the match to Marco Jansen in the gully, becoming the 37th batter to be dismissed with the first ball of a test.
Left-hander Mominul Haque (0) played a similar shot in Rabada’s next over, the third of the innings, with a similar result – a simple catch to ‘keeper Ryan Rickelton.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (12) twice drove Rabada to the mid-off boundary and appeared to be weathering the early storm until the great fast bowler enjoyed his revenge with the sight of his off stump cartwheeling ten metres from where it had been a second earlier.
Left-hander Tanzid looked increasingly comfortable having collected a dozen boundaries from 108 deliveries but was undone when a back-foot punch was dragged onto his stumps before veteran Mushfiqur Rahim (0) pushed firmly at his first delivery to provide Harmer with a rasping catch at third slip.
It's KG Rabada's day at the Bullring 🇿🇦⚡️ He secures his 18th five-wicket haul in Test cricket 👏 #SAvBAN | #SSCricket https://t.co/BH4V6NYswj
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) November 15, 2026
Litton Das will resume on the second day with 92* from 138 balls in the company of Mehidy Hasan Miraz with Bangladesh well poised to pass 400 for the first time against South Africa in their 17th test.
Hridoy, meanwhile, compiled an unbeaten 350 for Bangladesh ‘A’ against South Africa ‘A’ in Potchefstroom in August before his record-breaking match against the West Indies. The Proteas were forewarned but not, it seemed, forearmed. It was a brilliant innings and has left the home side firmly on the back foot.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, Zubayr Hamza, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson.
BANGLADESH: Tanzid Hasan, Mahfijul Islam, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed.
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