Rahmat Shah scores historic ton on captaincy debut as Afghanistan face Bangladesh
Synopsis
Rahmat Shah's 105 on Test captaincy debut made him the first Afghan to achieve the feat — but Bangladesh's Hasan Mahmud stole the other headline, taking a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul to become the first Bangladesh pacer with a Test hat-trick. Two historic firsts in a single innings in Abu Dhabi.
Key Takeaways
Rahmat Shah scored 105 off 216 balls on his Test captaincy debut, becoming the first Afghan player to score a hundred as captain in the format.
Afghanistan were bowled out for 240 in reply to Bangladesh's 346 , conceding a first-innings deficit of 106 runs .
Hasan Mahmud took a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul — the first Bangladesh pacer to take a Test hat-trick and the third Bangladeshi overall.
Mahmud also reached 50 Test wickets , doing so faster than any other Bangladesh pace bowler.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim ( 83 ), Shadman Islam ( 67 ), and Litton Das ( 53 ) anchored Bangladesh's first innings.
The match is a one-off Test at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi , with Bangladesh firmly in the driver's seat.
Rahmat Shah etched his name in cricket history on Sunday, 11 October 2026, becoming the first Afghan player to score a century on Test captaincy debut, stroking a gritty 105 off 216 balls against Bangladesh in the one-off Test at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The knock, laced with 10 fours and two sixes, was largely a lone-hand effort as Afghanistan were bowled out for 240 in reply to Bangladesh's first-innings total of 346, conceding a lead of 106 runs.
Shah's Historic Innings
Shah took over the Test and ODI captaincy from Hashmatullah Shahidi in July 2026, and his very first assignment in the longest format delivered a landmark achievement. No Afghan cricketer had previously scored a Test hundred on captaincy debut, placing Shah in rare global company. His innings provided the backbone of Afghanistan's reply, with opener Abdul Malik contributing a measured 62 off 120 deliveries and wicketkeeper-batter Ikram Alikhil adding a fighting 32 off 103 balls down the order.
Hasan Mahmud's Hat-Trick and Five-Wicket Haul
Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud was the wrecker-in-chief, claiming a hat-trick and finishing with a five-wicket haul — becoming the first Bangladesh pacer to take a Test hat-trick and only the third Bangladeshi bowler overall to achieve the feat. Before Mahmud, leg-spin all-rounder Alok Kapali had taken a hat-trick against Pakistan in 2003, and off-spinner Sohag Gazi had done so against New Zealand in 2013. Mahmud also crossed 50 Test wickets during the innings — reaching the milestone faster than any other Bangladesh pace bowler — when he dismissed Yamin Ahmadzai for an 11-ball duck. Fellow pacer Ebadot Hossain supported with four wickets.
Bangladesh's First-Innings Dominance
Bangladesh had posted a competitive 346 in their first innings, built on half-centuries from Tanzid Hasan Tamim (83), Shadman Islam (67), and Litton Das (53). Afghanistan's bowling attack was shared across Mohammad Saleem Safi (4 for 82), Yamin Ahmadzai (3 for 79), Ismat Alam (2 for 20), and Qais Ahmad (1 for 60).
Context and What's Next
This is a one-off Test between the two sides, meaning the result will carry singular weight for both teams' ICC World Test Championship standings. Bangladesh's 106-run first-innings lead puts them in a commanding position as the match progresses. For Afghanistan, Shah's century is a morale-boosting moment even amid the deficit — a sign that their captain is ready to lead from the front. How Afghanistan respond in their second innings will determine whether they can mount a historic comeback.
Point of View
And this match delivered both — one with the bat, one with the ball. Yet Shah's century, however historic, came in a losing first-innings cause, and Afghanistan's batting depth remains a structural concern. The more consequential milestone may be Mahmud's: a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul in the same innings signals that Bangladesh's pace attack is maturing into a genuine Test-match weapon, not merely a supporting act to their spinners. Whether Afghanistan can overturn a 106-run deficit will reveal which milestone matters more to the final result.
NationPress
11 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Rahmat Shah set on his Test captaincy debut?
Rahmat Shah became the first Afghan player to score a century on Test captaincy debut, hitting 105 off 216 balls against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi on 11 October 2026. The knock included 10 fours and two sixes.
Who is Rahmat Shah and when did he become Afghanistan's Test captain?
Rahmat Shah is Afghanistan's Test and ODI captain, having taken over from Hashmatullah Shahidi in July 2026. His century against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi was his first Test assignment as captain.
What records did Hasan Mahmud set in this Test?
Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud took a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul in the same innings, becoming the first Bangladesh pacer to take a Test hat-trick and only the third Bangladeshi bowler overall. He also became the fastest Bangladesh pacer to reach 50 Test wickets.
Who were the previous Bangladesh bowlers to take Test hat-tricks?
Before Hasan Mahmud, Alok Kapali (leg-spin all-rounder) took a hat-trick against Pakistan in 2003, and off-spinner Sohag Gazi took one against New Zealand in 2013. Mahmud is the first Bangladesh pace bowler to achieve the feat.
What is the match situation after the first innings in the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Test?
Bangladesh hold a first-innings lead of 106 runs after posting 346 and bowling Afghanistan out for 240. Bangladesh are well-placed in the one-off Test at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
