<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Despite a counterattacking knock of skipper Shakib Al Hasan and a maiden hundred of opener Zakir Hasan, Bangladesh suffered a huge 188-run defeat to India in the opening game of the two-match Test series at the Zahur Ahmed Chwodhury Stadium here today.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The defeat looked highly likely after Bangladesh began the fifth and final day with 272-6, still needing a 241 runs to win. However they failed to put up minimum resistance and could survive in less than an hour on the final day to be bowled out for 324 runs in the chase of a mammoth target of 513 runs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan counterattacked with 84 off 108, smashing six fours and six sixes and scored 44 runs of 52, his side made on the final day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">India’s wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav followed his 5-40 with 3-73 in the second innings to register his career-best match haul of 8-113. Kuldeep’s bowling indeed threw Bangladesh out of the game.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Bangladesh looked to give India some tough fight, pacer Mohammed Siraj (1-67) claimed the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 13 in just second over of the day and dented any hope of making any resistance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After Mehidy got dismissed, Shakib came up with whirlwind batting, knowing that attack is the best defense to survive on last day pitch. He however charged spinners to hit them some sixes to entertain the sparse crowd in the ground. But while going for a sweep shot, he failed to connect one properly against the delivery of Kuldeep and got bowled out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the dismissal of Shakib, India needed just two overs to wrap up Bangladesh’s innings. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel who finished with 4-77, got the wicket of Taijul Islam (4) and Kuldeep then brought an end to the innings, getting rid of Ebadot Hossain for duck.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, opener Zakir Hasan hit a maiden ton before being out on exact 100 and Najmul Hossain scored 67 in this innings for Bangladesh. Zakir became the fourth Bangladeshi batter and first opener to hit centuries on debut and also became the only second opener in Test cricket’s 145-year history to score a century on debut in the fourth innings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The duo put up a 124-run partnership for the opening stand to give Bangladesh a ray of hope but India remained calm and that brought up a fruitful result for them at the end.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">India racked up 404 in its first innings before being out all and then took a 254-run lead, dismissing Bangladesh for 150.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks to a maiden century of opener Shubhman Gill (110) and the 19th ton of Cheteshwar Pujara (102 not out) who also made 90 in the first innings, India declared second innings at 258-2 to set Bangladesh a record chase of 513 runs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh who never successfully chased down a target more than 215 runs, finally crumbled in pressure to taste their 101st defeat in their 135th Test match.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The second and series-ending Test starts form December 22 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>