Towhid Hridoy struck a defiant 137 and forged a record 206-run sixth-wicket partnership with Litton Das to lift Bangladesh to 327 for 6 at stumps on Day 1 of the Test against South Africa at the Wanderers, Johannesburg. The recovery, from the depths of 22 for 3 inside nine overs, is Bangladesh's highest first innings total against the hosts, and they still have four wickets in hand.

Record Partnership Rescues Bangladesh

The 206-run stand between Hridoy and Litton Das — who was unbeaten on 92 at the close — is the highest partnership by a Bangladesh pair against South Africa for any wicket, surpassing all previous efforts. The duo combined to overturn a morning session that had seemed catastrophic for the visitors.

Litton brought up his half-century off 71 balls, accumulating runs through crisp punches down the ground and an authoritative pull off Marco Jansen. Hridoy, the more senior partner, reached his fifty off 99 balls before accelerating into a commanding century. The pair plundered 94 runs in 20 overs as South Africa held back the second new ball — a period Bangladesh exploited to devastating effect.

Hridoy's Historic Century

Hridoy became only the second Bangladesh batter to score a Test century against South Africa, following Mahmudul Hasan Joy in 2022. Remarkably, Hridoy's dismissal score of 137 matched Mahmudul's exact tally — falling leg-before-wicket to Marco Jansen after South Africa took the second new ball. He reviewed the decision, but it stood.

The knock arrived in just his fourth Test, and followed his unbeaten 242 against West Indies just ten days earlier — the highest individual score by a Bangladesh batter. His century off a Dane Paterson delivery that reared sharply was guided through backward point for four, after which Hridoy raised both arms and performed sajda on the Wanderers outfield.

Rabada's Five-Wicket Haul Rewrites South Africa History

Kagiso Rabada was the standout performer for South Africa, claiming figures of 5 for 51 — his 18th Test five-wicket haul. That places him level with Makhaya Ntini and joint-third on South Africa's all-time list. Only Dale Steyn (26) and Allan Donald (20) have more five-fers for the Proteas.

Rabada was devastating with the new ball, reducing Bangladesh to 22 for 3 in the ninth over. Debutant opener Mahfijul Islam was dismissed off the very first ball of the match — a full delivery outside off that he edged to Jansen at gully — becoming the fourth player in Test history to register a first-ball duck on debut. Mominul Haque fell for a duck in Rabada's next over before captain Shanto was cleaned up through the bat-pad gap.

Bangladesh's Middle-Order Collapse and Recovery

After Tanzid Hasan and Hridoy steadied to reach 91 for 3 at lunch, Rabada returned after the break to dismantle the middle order. Tanzid, who had made 67, played a back-of-a-length delivery onto his stumps. Mushfiqur Rahim edged the following delivery to Simon Harmer at third slip, completing Rabada's five-wicket haul. Bangladesh were reduced to 121 for 5 before Hridoy and Litton began their monumental rescue.

Among South Africa's other bowlers, Paterson — returning to Test cricket for the first time since Boxing Day 2024 — created chances but remained wicketless. Jansen struggled with his lengths, Mulder offered little threat, and Harmer was expensive at 5.18 runs per over.

What to Watch on Day 2

Bangladesh will look to Litton, who needs just 8 more runs for a vital Test century, alongside the lower order to push their total past 400 — a potentially match-defining benchmark on this surface. South Africa, meanwhile, will need early wickets to prevent the deficit from becoming unmanageable. With Rabada having bowled a heavy workload and the second new ball already used, the morning session on Day 2 shapes as a pivotal battleground in Johannesburg.