The 26-year-old Rahmat Shah became the first Afghanistan batsman to score a Test century. On the day one of the only Test against the hosts Bangladesh, Rahmat Shah managed this three-figure score.
On Thursday (5th September), Bangladesh and Afghanistan started this Test match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (Chattogram). It is the third Test match for Afghanistan.
Read More: Australian Fans Were Expelled From Ground After Abusing Jofra Archer
After winning the toss, new Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan decided to bat first. Rashid Khan is leading this side at the age of 20 years and 350 days – it is the youngest age to lead a Test team. Former Zimbabwean wicketkeeper-batsman Tatenda Taibu was the previous record-holder as he first led Zimbabwe Test team at the age of 20 years and 358 days (against Sri Lanka at Harare in May 2004).
Both the Afghan openers Ibrahim Zadran (21) and Ihsanullah (9) lost their wickets cheaply. Also, the no.4 batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi lost his wicket on 14 runs. Then, the no.3 batsman Rahmat Shah and the no.5-positioned batsman Asghar Afghan handled the situation very well.
Rahmat Shah completed the historic century with a four
On that rain-interrupted day one, Shah first completed his half-century in 85 balls. Later, in the third session of the day, the right-handed batsman hit the century in 186 balls and became the first Afghanistan cricketer to hit a Test century. It was his third first-class century and this time he raised his bat after hitting a four.
During Afghanistan’s second Test, which was against Ireland at Dehradun in last March, Rahmat Shah just missed the century as he scored 98 runs in their first innings. However, this time, he didn’t make the same mistake.
Read More: ICC Announces Men’s T20 World Cup 2019 Qualifier Schedule
After completing that historic Test century with a boundary, Shah lost his wicket on the very next ball as the 18-year-old off-spinner Nayeem Hasan dismissed him. Shah scored 102 runs off 187 balls with 10 fours and two sixes.
The first centurions of each Test member
| Team | Player (Runs) | Opposition | Venue | Date |
| Australia | Charles Bannerman (165) | England | Melbourne | 15th March 1877 |
| England | W. G. Grace (152) | Australia | The Oval | 6th September 1880 |
| South Africa | Jimmy Sinclair (106) | England | Cape Town | 3rd April 1899 |
| West Indies | Clifford Roach (122) | England | Bridgetown | 11th January 1930 |
| New Zealand | Stewie Dempster (136) | England | Wellington | 24th January 1930 |
| India | Lala Amarnath (118) | England | Mumbai | 17th December 1933 |
| Pakistan | Nazar Mohammad (124) | India | Lucknow | 24th October 1952 |
| Sri Lanka | Sidath Wettimuny (157) | Pakistan | Faisalabad | 14th March 1982 |
| Zimbabwe | Dave Houghton (121) | India | Harare | 19th October 1992 |
| Bangladesh | Aminul Islam (145) | India | Dhaka | 11th November 2000 |
| Ireland | Kevin O’Brien (118) | Pakistan | Dublin (Malahide) | 14th May 2018 |
| Afghanistan | Rahmat Shah (102) | Bangladesh | Chattogram | 5th September 2019 |
Afghanistan were not in a bad position at the stumps
Rahmat Shah and Asghar Afghan provided an important 120-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Later, Mohammad Nabi (0) failed to open his account but the wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai put another crucial partnership with Asghar Afghan.
At the end of that day one, Afghanistan were batting on 271/5. Afghan was batting on 88 runs while Zazai remained not out on 35 runs.
Among the Bangladesh bowlers, Taijul Islam (2/73) and Nayeem Hasan (2/43) took two wickets each and Mahmudullah (1/9) picked up one wicket.