Hridoy's 137 and record stand lift Bangladesh to 327 for 6 against South Africa

Towhid Hridoy struck 137 to pull Bangladesh out of an early collapse and take them to 327 for 6 on the opening day of the first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, according to Prothom Alo. Litton Das was unbeaten on 92 when play ended.

Bangladesh chose to bat after winning the toss, but the innings began badly. Debutant opener Mahfijul Islam was caught at gully by Marco Jansen off Kagiso Rabada from the first ball. Mominul Haque was caught behind off Rabada for seven, and captain Najmul Hossain was bowled for 9, leaving Bangladesh at 22 for 3 inside nine overs.

Rabada's five-wicket haul

Rabada took all of Bangladesh's first five wickets, recording his 18th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Prothom Alo reports he is the first bowler to take five five-wicket hauls against Bangladesh in Tests.

Tanzid Hasan, who had struggled in his previous five Test innings, made 51, his second Test half-century, and joined Hridoy in a 99-run fourth-wicket stand. That was Bangladesh's highest partnership on South African soil, beating the 84 between Habibul Bashar and Hannan Sarkar at Potchefstroom in 2002.

Rabada ended that stand by dismissing Tanzid, who dragged a short ball onto his stumps, and Mushfiqur Rahim fell to the next ball, caught at third slip, leaving Bangladesh at 108 for 5.

Hridoy and Litton rebuild

Hridoy and Litton then put on 206 runs for the sixth wicket, the highest stand by Bangladesh against South Africa in Tests. The previous record was 138 by Jaker Ali and Mehidy Hasan Miraz in Mirpur in 2024. It was also the first century stand by Bangladesh in a Test in South Africa.

Hridoy reached his century with a four through deep backward point off Dane Paterson in the 75.4 over, and repeated the celebration he used after his double hundred in Sylhet, removing his helmet and raising it on the end of his bat. Prothom Alo notes he is only the second Bangladesh batter to score a hundred against South Africa, and this was his second Test century, after an unbeaten 242 against the West Indies in Sylhet, where he also made 82 in the second innings.

Hridoy was trapped lbw by Jansen off the final ball of the day, ending his innings of 137 and the record stand. Bangladesh's total of 327 for 6 is their highest ever in a Test against South Africa. Litton will resume on 92 not out on the second morning.

Bangladesh fielded three specialist fast bowlers and one spinner, with Mahfizul making his Test debut.

Sources: Prothom Alo