Published: 11:44 PM, 13 October 2026
Litton sets Bangladesh wicketkeeping record in Afghanistan Test
Litton Das broke Bangladesh's record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a Test match, finishing with eight in the one-off Test against Afghanistan as the hosts faced a daunting chase of 479 runs.
Litton surpassed Khaled Mashud's previous national record of seven dismissals, set against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2004. His record came on a day when he also scored a century to help Bangladesh strengthen their grip on the match.
The wicketkeeper-batter scored 102 off 115 balls in Bangladesh's second innings, his seventh Test century. He shared a 159-run seventh-wicket partnership with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who remained unbeaten on 52, as Bangladesh declared at 372 for seven to set Afghanistan a target of 479.
Litton also scored 53 in the first innings, when Bangladesh made 346. Afghanistan replied with 240, giving the visitors a first-innings lead of 106.
His eighth dismissal came when he caught Rahmat Shah behind the stumps late on the fourth day. Rahmat, who scored a century in Afghanistan's first innings, made 51 in the second before edging Ebadot Hossain to Litton.
Litton's performance combined a significant individual batting milestone with a national wicketkeeping record, putting him at the centre of Bangladesh's push for victory.
However, Sediqullah Atal resisted Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi though the visitors went to lunch with something to show for. Shortly before the break, Ebadot Hossain removed the stodgy Ikram Alikhil, breaking the fourth-wicket partnership. Much of the credit goes to Litton Das for the superb catch down the leg-side.
Litton is now the first wicketkeeper to complete nine dismissals, score a century and a fifty in the match.
Atal remained unbeaten on 66 off 216 balls, a highly uncharacteristic knock from the usually rampant left-handed opener. He added 66 runs for the fourth wicket with Alikhil who made 33. They came together in unusual circumstances too.
Afghanistan were dealt with an early blow, quite literally, when a Hasan Mahmud throw struck Hashmatullah Shahidi in the third over of the morning session. Shahidi, who was completing a single, went down immediately, and then had to be helped off of the field.
Alikhil opened up with a nice cover drive off Mehidy Hasan Miraz, before Atal went inside out against the same bowler in the next over. Bangladesh were slowly feeling desperate, particularly when Ebadot struck Alikhil in the pads. Even though the bowler signaled it was going away, Bangladesh took the review, and were declined swiftly.
Atal soon reached his fifty off 166 balls, as he continued to concentrate hard to keep Bangladesh at bay. He struck Taijul for his first six shortly afterwards, going straight over the bowler's head. Alikhil struck three fours thereafter, all off spin, before Atal struck Taijul for his second six, again over the bowler's head.
Later in the same over, Atal survived a near hit-wicket after he lost control of the bat that spun around him and landed just behind the stumps. In the next over, Ebadot struck Atal on the elbow, before landing the crucial blow against Alikhil before lunch.
