Hosts declare innings with a massive lead of 448

Mominul Haque raced to an unbeaten century to stretch Bangladesh's lead to 448 against Zimbabwe on the fourth day of the Chittagong Test.

Bangladesh scored over 300 runs in both innings of a match for the first time.

Captain Mushfiqur Rahim played a swift innings before calling his team off in the third session of Day Four.

The classy left-hander pierced point and short third man with a cut to the boundary, his 12th, off Sikandar Raza to reach his fourth Test century.

The Tigers scored 319 for five before declaring innings with Mominul (131) and Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury (3) unbeaten.

In reply, Zimbabwe were 71 for one at the close of the day with Sikandar Raza (43) and Hamilton Masakadza (26) leading their charge.

Brian Chari was unfortunate to be sent back early without scoring. He walked back to a leg-before decision off Rubel Hossain but Hawk-Eye replay revealed the ball would’ve missed the stumps.

The Africans still require 378 runs to win with nine wickets remaining on the final day of this third Test.

Bangladesh started Day Four at 23 for one at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium on Saturday.

Tamim Iqbal and Mominul turned round a 113-run stand to recover from their early loss of Imrul Kayes.

Kayes (15) was lured to edge to the keeper off Tinashe Panyangara.

Tamim, back on song, and the steady Mominul played some solid strokes as Bangladesh powered their lead past 250-run mark in the first session.

Mominul seemed keen to score off boundaries with sweetly timed shots, mostly through the offside.

The opener reached fifty when he glanced a Sikanadar Raza delivery to deep fine leg. After two back to back centuries in two Tests he followed up with a half-century.

Bangladesh added 101 runs to the total in the first session of Day Four going to lunch on 124 for one.

They kept things safe, profiting from bowlers’ inaccuracy, until Tamim played on to a Natsai M’shangwe tossed up delivery.

Tamim (65) hit four boundaries in his 142-ball innings.

Mahmudullah, in at five, took little time get in and play his shots. He put his wrist into action to smash two boundaries off M’shangwe to start off.

Couple of overs later the duo powered the lead past 300 as the Zimbabwe bowlers ran out of ideas.

With Mahmudullah continuing his strokeplay at one end, Mominul pressed on with boundaries.

But several slow overs piled pressure on the batsmen consequently ending Mahmudullah’s cameo (30 off 28 balls) when he was caught behind off Panyangara, a decision confirmed by the review system.

His 55-run third wicket stand with Mominul came off 63 balls.

Shakib came in to provide support to Mominul helping the lead cross over the 350-run mark with hosts scoring at a rate of 4.07 runs per over in the second session. The Tigers added 110 runs in it.

But the all-rounder fell to M’shangwe for 17 soon after tea after a couple of swings bringing in captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who made his intent clear from the start.

Mominul and his captain took Zimbabwe’s target past 400 and looked to hit the gas to stretch it further. But Zimbabwe bowlers kept cool to limit boundaries forcing the batsmen to rotate the strike.

Mushfiq slapped his second six over the midwicket fence off Sikandar Raza to bring up Bangladesh’s 300 in the second innings. Raza exacted revenge sending Mushfiq back later in the over but not before Mushfiq cracked 46 off 30 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

The fifth wicket partnership was worth 71 off 50 balls.

Panyangara and M’shangwe bagged two wickets each for Zimbabwe, while Raza picked up one.

Zimbabwe first innings had folded at 374 in reply to the hosts’ 503.