Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah described his team’s hard-fought draw against Bangladesh in the Abu Dhabi Test as “equal to a win” after his side displayed remarkable patience and determination to survive the final day.
Chasing a daunting target of 479 runs, Afghanistan batted for 142 overs in their second innings, spending more than seven hours at the crease to deny Bangladesh victory. Sediqullah Atal led the resistance with a magnificent 111 off 332 balls, while the lower order played a crucial role in securing the draw.
The result marked the first time Afghanistan had avoided defeat against a World Test Championship (WTC) team in a Test since beating Bangladesh in Chattogram in September 2019, excluding the washed-out Test against New Zealand in Greater Noida in September 2024.
Atal’s Marathon Century Leads Afghanistan’s Resistance
Atal emerged as the standout performer of the final day, batting for more than eight-and-a-half hours to frustrate Bangladesh’s bowling attack and keep Afghanistan’s hopes of a draw alive.
Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus praised the young batter for turning the game around with his determined performance.
“All credit to Sediq for really turning it around,” Pybus said after the match. “It was an outstanding innings for him. He had been a little bit out of touch, actually, so he worked really hard on this innings. Credit to him, he’s at the beginning of his Test career. He’s done all the work. He will carry that confidence forward.”
Rahmat also credited Atal for his composure, highlighting how the batter adapted to the demands of the situation after recently featuring in T20 cricket.
“Sediqullah came fresh from the T20s, and the way he kept his composure, doing what the team needed him to do and executing it, that is why we achieved the result,” Rahmat said.
Bangladesh Miss Opportunities as Afghanistan Hold Firm
Bangladesh appeared well placed to secure victory after dominating much of the first four days. However, missed opportunities in the field allowed Afghanistan to remain in contention and eventually escape with a draw.
Even after Atal was dismissed in the 119th over, with more than 23 overs remaining and Afghanistan’s tail exposed, Bangladesh could not finish the job.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto acknowledged Afghanistan’s determined effort and praised Atal’s exceptional innings.
“I think they played some brilliant cricket — we have to give them credit,” Shanto said. “I think especially the way Sediqullah batted, it was really impressive.”
Shanto also noted that the pitch remained favourable for batting throughout the five-day contest, despite offering some assistance to the spinners.
“The wicket was good on the fourth and fifth days. There was some help for the spinners, but it was a good wicket [to bat on] for five days. They must be credited for the way they batted against our quality of bowling attack,” he added.
Rahmat’s Century and Lower Order Deliver Crucial Contributions
The Test was also a memorable one for Rahmat, who scored a century in the first innings in his first innings as Afghanistan’s Test captain. He followed that effort with a valuable 51 in the second innings.
However, it was the collective determination of the batting unit, particularly the lower order, that ultimately secured the result.
Rahmat said Afghanistan’s strategy was to prioritise survival, remain disciplined and avoid being distracted by Bangladesh’s pressure tactics.
“As a team, I was delighted that two players scored centuries in the match and others contributed with half-centuries and vital partnerships,” Rahmat said.
“The tail batted well and sensibly today. The plan today was to bat for long periods and be patient and not be bothered if they [Bangladesh] bowled dot balls or maidens. Our goal was to bat all day.”
Reflecting on the effort, the Afghanistan captain added that patience, discipline and sound defensive batting were the keys to achieving the draw.
“It was a great achievement to bat for over 140 overs [142] and more than seven hours in our second innings. Patience and playing straight with discipline were key in the players achieving the draw from the match. An outstanding effort by all of them,” he said.
Qais Ahmad Adds Late Drama Before Afghanistan Seal the Draw
Afghanistan’s resistance continued after Atal’s dismissal, with Qais Ahmad and Yamin Ahmadzai showing impressive defensive resolve to see out the remaining overs.
Coming in at No. 9, Qais remained unbeaten on 49 after facing 80 balls over nearly an hour and a half. Although his primary task was to survive, he also produced some attacking strokes, striking three sixes, including two in the final over.
His approach, however, left Pybus with mixed feelings. The coach had urged the lower order to focus on defence rather than attempting to chase the imposing target.
“Qais paid absolutely no attention to my advice whatsoever,” Pybus joked. “I suggested to him to defend really strongly and with a lot of willpower. I thought he was trying to channel Ben Stokes and chase down that total without absolutely any possibility of getting it.”
Despite the nervous moments, Pybus acknowledged Qais’s contribution and praised the team’s collective fighting spirit.
“Qais gave us a cameo at the back-end there — he played his own game. But credit to him, he just fought incredibly hard like the whole side did,” he said.
Pybus also praised the squad for managing the pressure of a lengthy fourth-innings chase and remaining focused on securing a positive result.
“I think the squad actually managed emotions pretty well today,” he said. “It’s a long chase [479] and also getting to the point where you’re actually batting to hold out and to get a good draw out of it.”
For Afghanistan, the result was more than just a drawn Test. It was a statement of resilience, with Atal’s marathon century, Rahmat’s leadership and the lower order’s late resistance combining to deny Bangladesh a victory that had appeared within reach.