Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan sustained a finger injury today during training in Mirpur. The incident occurred while he was batting in an indoor net session, causing an injury to his right index finger. Nayeem promptly left the nets for medical attention as his finger was bleeding. The severity of the injury is currently unknown, and further information will be obtained after consultation with physiotherapists, according to BBC’s chief physician, Debashash Chowdhury.

Nayeem played a crucial role in the Sylhet Test, where Bangladesh emerged victorious by 150 runs. In that match, he demonstrated his bowling prowess by taking one wicket for 73 runs in the first innings and adding two more wickets in the second innings, conceding 40 runs in 17 overs. Coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed his admiration for Nayeem during a press conference earlier today. Despite the injury, the Bangladesh cricket team is set to begin the second Test against New Zealand in Dhaka tomorrow.

“He is the highest wicket-taker in the NCL. He is coming with confidence and good rhythm. We saw that in the game. He played his role perfectly. At times he attacked, at times he was the defensive bowler. He created a lot of doubt in batters’ minds. He actually got a reaction out of someone like Kane Williamson. I was very impressed with him,” Hathurusingha said.

At the end of the second day, the visitors scored 266-8, and they’re still 44 runs behind Bangladesh in the first innings. Williamson made 104 runs in his 29th Test century, hitting 11 fours in 205 balls. However, Taijul Islam bowled him out. Taijul was the best among the Bangladesh bowlers, taking 4 wickets for 89 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Shoriful Islam, and Mominul Haque each took one wicket.

“I think the spinners bowled well. We could have created some more pressure. We took eight wickets in the end, so it is a good day for us,” Bangladesh spin coach Rangana Herath said.

Herath praised Taijul for using his extensive experience effectively.

“Taijul is always helping the attack. He is our leading spinner. He created a lot of pressure,” said Herath.

“He created a lot of angles. He has great experience, knowledge and understanding. I am so happy that he took four wickets today.”

Glenn Phillips scored 42 runs, supporting Williamson in their 78-run partnership for the sixth wicket. This helped the visitors recover from a tough situation, having lost the top half of their batting order for 175 runs.

Mominul, an occasional left-arm spinner, made Phillips give a catch at slip, breaking their partnership.

Williamson reached his hundred with a single off Nayeem, taking 189 balls. This century put him on par with legends Don Bradman and Virat Kohli in terms of Test centuries.

“I mean, you just see all around the world, he’s amazing and how he sort of works out different attacks, different sort of ways people are trying to get him out, different surfaces,” New Zealand coach Luke Ronchi said in praise of Williamson.

“So to be able to do it the way he does and the calmness he shows in situations is awesome,” Ronchi added. “He’s done it a lot, but a lot of our young guys can see how he does it.”

Ronchi Stays Optimistic About New Zealand’s Lower Order Performance.

“We’ve still got two wickets in hand and hopefully tomorrow morning we come back,” he said.

“And the guys left can put some more runs on the board and get us closer to the Bangladesh score, definitely.”

Taijul made up for dropping Williamson at midwicket by taking the wickets of the former New Zealand captain and Ish Sodhi in back-to-back overs. Daryl Mitchell, who had a stroke of luck on his way to 41 runs, was stumped by Nurul Hasan off Taijul’s bowling. Mitchell, along with Williamson, had a 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Mitchell had a narrow escape when he nicked the ball to the wicketkeeper while batting on four, but Bangladesh didn’t review the caught-behind appeal, and the on-field umpire turned it down.
In the morning, New Zealand dismissed Bangladesh for 310 with Tim Southee getting the last wicket, trapping Shoriful leg-before for 13.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam dismissed Daryll Mitchell with a clever delivery, while Kane Williamson continued to build New Zealand’s innings against Bangladesh on the second day of the Sylhet Test. Mitchell fell for 41 after a 66-run partnership was ended by Taijul’s skillful bowling. Earlier, Shoriful Islam removed Henry Nicholls, but Williamson persevered, reaching 66 off 110 balls. The New Zealand captain and Tom Blundell ended the day at 168 for four. The day also saw Mehedi Hasan Miraz dismissing Devon Conway and Taijul Islam removing Tom Latham. Bangladesh had earlier been all out for 310, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy top-scoring with 86.