CHITTAGONG: India broke through tough resistance from Bangladesh including a Zakir Hasan century to be within four wickets of victory at stumps on day four of the first Test on Saturday.
Set a mountainous target of 513 runs in Chittagong, Bangladesh reached 272-6 at the close, still needing 241 runs, with skipper Shakib Al Hasan on 40 and Mehidy Hasan on nine.
Earlier, opener Zakir scored 100 off 224 balls and put on a 124-run opening stand together with Najmul Hossain, the pair having hung on in the final session of day three and to lunch on day four.
But in the second session, Umesh Yadav got the breakthrough and ended their stand when Najmul edged the ball into the slips.
Virat Kohli initially dropped it at first slip but wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant dived to his left to grab the deflection and Najmul departed for 67.
Axar Patel, who was the pick of India’s bowlers on the fourth day with 3-50, soon grabbed India’s second wicket bowling Yasir Ali for five.
Kuldeep Yadav removed danger man Liton Das for 19 before Zakir swept Axar for a four to bring up his debut Test hundred.
But Zakir, only the fourth Bangladeshi to achieve the feat, scored no more runs and fell for 100 in the final session when Ravichandran Ashwin made him his only wicket so far in the Test.
Zakir played a defensive shot but could manage only an inside edge, which took a deflection off his pad to Kohli at slip. Bangladesh collapsed further after Zakir’s departure as Axar bowled Mushfiqur Rahim for 23 and had Nurul Hasan stumped for three.
