Bangladesh's Taijul Islam and Mominul Haque put on 103 runs for the ninth wicket on day three of the Chattogram Test against South Africa, falling three short of a record.
Bangladesh resumed the day at 38-4 with a mountain to climb in the first innings. But they didn’t have the likeliest of starts as a fiery morning spell from Kagiso Rabada, complemented by Dane Paterson, triggered a collapse: Rabada first snared opposition captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for a 17-ball nine in the 13th over of Bangladesh's innings. The hosts were jolted further when veteran Mushfiqur Rahim, on whom their hopes were pinned, was sent packing for a duck in the next over by Paterson.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1), coming in at No.8, and debutant Mahidul Islam Ankon (0) met with a similar fate, with both returning for binary scores as Rabada’s double-wicket burst in the 15th over reduced Bangladesh to 48-8. The bowler brought up his second five-wicket haul in the process.
Read more: South Africa cop rare five-run penalty for running infringement in Bangladesh Test
The dismissal brought Bangladesh to the cusp of being dismissed well below their lowest home total (87) in Test cricket. However, they averted that thanks to a defiant 103-run stand between former captain Mominul Haque, and Taijul Islam. Their stand was broken soon after lunch, when Mominul was trapped lbw by Senuran Muthusamy.
Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers toiled hard for 114.2 overs, with South Africa declaring their innings at 575-6, their second-highest total against Bangladesh. The massive score is also South Africa’s third-highest in Asia.
Full list of highest ninth-wicket partnerships against South Africa
The ninth-wicket stand between Taijul and Mominul is Bangladesh's highest-ever for the ninth wicket against South Africa, and their fourth-highest for the ninth wicket overall.
It is the second-highest ninth-wicket partnership ever scored against South Africa, just three short of the record of 106 between James Anderson and Graeme Swann for England, in 2009.
| Partners | Team | Partnership | Venue | Date |
| James Anderson & Graeme Swann | England | 106 | Centurion | December 16, 2009 |
| Mominul Haque & Taijul Islam | Bangladesh | 103 | Chattogram | October 29, 2024 |
| Andrew Flintoff & Steve Harmison | England | 99 | The Oval | September 4, 2003 |
| Mohammad Rizwan & Noman Ali | Pakistan | 97 | Rawalpindi | February 4, 2021 |
| Jacob Oram & Paul Wiseman | New Zealand | 87 | Hamilton | March 10, 2004 |
| Steve Harmison & Michael Vaughan | England | 82* | Johannesburg | January 13, 2005 |
| Azhar Mahmood & Shoaib Akhtar | Pakistan | 80 | Durban | February 26, 1998 |
| Anil Kumble & VVS Laxman | India | 80 | Gqeberha | November 16, 2001 |
| Don Bradman & Bill O'Reilly | Australia | 78 | Adelaide | January 29, 1932 |
| Ken Mackay & Ian Meckiff | Australia | 78 | Johannesburg | February 7, 1958 |
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