Tigers beat Ireland for first win in 10 Tests

Bangladesh handed Ireland a seven-wicket defeat as the home side chased down a 138-run target before the end of the second session on the fourth day of the one-off Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das, who opened the innings with Tamim Iqbal, quick-fired with scores of 50 and 23, respectively, while Tamim played a patient 31 as the Tigers reached target in only 27.1 overs.

After a spirited show by the visitors in their second innings on the third day, they could not extend their lead by no more than six runs today as Ebadot Hossain removed both overnight batters Andy McBrine (72) and debutant Graham Hume (14). Ireland's second innings ended on 292, leaving the Tigers faced with a seemingly tricky chase. However, it was not meant to be as the 62-run stand for the third wicket between Mushfiqur and Tamim took the hosts close to the finish line.

Earlier, Bangladesh scored 369 in their first innings, courtesy of Mushfiqur's 126 and Shakib Al Hasan's 87, in reply to Ireland's 214 all out . Taijul Islam picked a fifer in the first innings and bagged a total of nine victims.

For the visitors, Andy McBrine also had starred with the ball as the off-spinner scalped a six-fer in the first innings. With the bat, debutants Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker shined as Tector scored back-to-back fifties in the Test, while Tucker notched up a memorable Test century on debut.  

Last time Bangladesh won a Test was against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in January, 2022. The Tigers lost the next Test in Christchurch and went on to suffer four series defeats since then – 2-0 against South Africa away, 1-0 Sri Lanka at home, 2-0 West Indies away, 2-0 India at home. 

The Ireland tour of Bangladesh ends with the one-off Test after the two sides played ODI and T20I series, both of which ended in the Tigers' favour. The two sides next meet for a three-match ODI series in Ireland in May.