Mushfiqur’s milestone and Litton’s brilliance leave Ireland struggling in Mirpur

The most anticipated moment arrived right at the start of the day. Seeking refuge in history, Mushfiqur Rahim made himself immortal. And beyond the Mushfiqur-centred atmosphere, Litton Kumar Das lit up the ground with a radiant century. What followed was predictable: after Bangladesh's big total, the Irish batting line-up suffered against spin.

On the second day of the Mirpur Test, Bangladesh's first innings ended on 476 runs. Ireland finished the day on 98 for 5.

Mushfiqur, who ended the first day on 99 in his 100th Test, reached the expected century early and was dismissed for 104. With his 13th Test century, he equalled Mominul Haque's record for the most Test hundreds by a Bangladeshi.

Litton scored 128 runs with 8 fours and 4 sixes—his fifth Test century.

The morning's first over went by with a blend of drama and nervousness. Mushfiqur couldn't score off Matthew Humphreys' over, which included a strong appeal and a brilliant turning delivery that narrowly missed the stumps.

But he didn't have to wait long. In the day's second over, he reached his hundred—engraving his name among the legends. He became only the 11th cricketer to score a hundred centuries of runs in Test match centuries. Off the very next ball, Litton reached his fifty with a boundary.

Mushfiqur had converted his previous two hundreds into 150-plus innings, but this time he could not. He departed for 104 to a superb delivery from Humphreys. His 214-ball stay included just five boundaries.

Their partnership ended on 108 runs.

Mushfiqur and Litton already held the record for Bangladesh's most century partnerships. With their seventh hundred-run stand, they extended that record further.

After Mushfiqur's dismissal, Mehidy Hasan Miraz took on the role of anchoring one end. Litton, batting with authority, raced towards a century. He struck a superb six off Humphreys on 91 and reached his hundred off 158 balls.

Their 123-run partnership ended with Miraz's dismissal, leaving him three runs short of a fifty. Debutant leg-spinner Gavin Hoey claimed his maiden Test wicket with that breakthrough.

In the next over, Litton's innings also came to an end as he attempted a slog sweep.

Lower down the order, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury contributed 18 runs with three fours and one six.

Bangladesh lost their last five wickets for 33 runs and thus fell short of reaching 500.

Andy McBrine, who had taken four wickets the previous day, added two more. Two and a half years ago, at this very ground in Mirpur, he had another six-wicket haul. He is Ireland's highest wicket-taker and second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket.

Ireland made a poor start with the bat. Paul Stirling began in his usual aggressive style, but once Syed Khaled Ahmed—returning to the XI—removed him for 27 off 26 balls, the 41-run stand ended.

The rest of the day was a battle for survival against spin. No one could really succeed. The pitch had already started keeping low and offering grip. As a result, no meaningful partnerships developed.

Hasan Murad dismissed Andrew Balbirnie and Curtis Campher, while in between, Miraz removed Peter Moor for 17. Taijul Islam, who struggled in his first spell, returned strongly in his second to remove Harry Tector.

Lorcán Tucker and Stephen Doheny somehow survived the final five overs of the day. But the challenges awaiting them the next morning were already clear from what they had endured.