Bangladesh further strengthened their authority leading by 73 runs on the first Test match of the series after ending Day 3 with a score of 401/6, thanks to healthy scores from Mominul Haque and Liton Das.
Skipper Mominul Haque and Mahmudul Hasan Joy, the two overnight batters started the day as the New Zealand bowlers were determined to make early inroads.
Neil Wagner struck early on the 3rd over of the day dismissing Joy for 78 runs, who played a shot away from his body giving away a catch to gully.
With the score of 184/3, Bangladesh were still trailing by 144 runs when Mushfiqur Rahim joined Mominul at the crease. The New Zealand quicks sensing the early pressure on the Bangladesh batters gave nothing away in the first hour of the day.
Although Mominul and Mushfiqur were fighting hard, Wagner almost had Mominul caught behind only to find out that he had overstepped as Mominul was given a life, batting on 9.
However, Mushfiqur was not as lucky as his captain who was bowled (12 from 53 balls) by a brilliant out-swinging full-length delivery from Trent Boult.
Liton Das who had an incredible year with the bat in 2021 came next. Das looked completely at ease straight away and was playing freely, scoring runs at a healthy strike rate.
Mominul on the other hand looked to hold one end up and allow Das to play his natural game.
As the partnership was building, the Kiwi bowlers did everything they could to put an end to it, to no avail.
Both Mominul and Das had every answer ready for the New Zealand attack and toiled with their attack as they built up a massive partnership of 158 runs before Mominul was dismissed for 88 runs by Trent Boult.
Just five overs later, Boult picked up the wicket of Das also who had a sudden lapse of concentration and gave his wicket away (86 off 177 balls) by attempting a rash cut shot, thus missing out on a well-deserved century for 14 runs.
Lower order batter Yasir Ali and Mehidy Hasan Miraz were at relative ease at the end of the day who have already put together a partnership of 31 runs and remained not out.
Yasir Ali 11 from 35 balls, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 20 from 38 balls, saw the day off without further damage.
Bangladesh batted for a total of 156 overs in their innings so far which is, to date, their longest ever Test innings outside Asia.
