Bangladesh’s opening duo, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Sadman Islam, rewrote the narrative on Day 2 of the Sylhet Test, following in the footsteps of Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes. Sadman’s fine innings came to an abrupt end while attempting to cut a delivery from Matthew Humphreys outside off-stump. The ball took the bottom edge and safely landed in the gloves of the wicketkeeper. Initially, the on-field umpire dismissed Ireland’s appeal, but a successful referral overturned the decision, breaking what had been a marathon 168-run opening stand.
Sadman had looked set for a memorable hundred, ending on 80 off 104 balls, having struck nine boundaries and a six. His dismissal, however, did little to halt Bangladesh’s momentum as Joy remained resolutely unbeaten on 94 from 164 balls, inching ever closer to his second Test century.
The hosts began the day by wrapping up Ireland’s innings in just 14 deliveries, dismissing them for 288. Bangladesh now trails by a mere 88 runs, but the dominance lies squarely with the Tigers. Joy and Sadman’s partnership now ranks as the second-highest opening stand in Bangladesh’s Test history, a feat few have achieved.
The record remains firmly with Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, who put on a staggering 312 against Pakistan in 2015. Their previous partnerships of 224 and 185 stand as benchmarks, yet Joy and Sadman have now carved their own space in Bangladesh’s cricketing folklore. With Day 2 drawing to a close, the Tigers are poised to take full control, and Joy’s impending century promises to be the highlight of the Sylhet Test.