Rahmat Shah Joins Virat Kohli in Elite List After Historic Test Century on Captaincy Debut

Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah created a landmark moment in international cricket by scoring a century in his first Test match as captain against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi. His innings placed him in a rare group of players who have marked their Test captaincy debut with a hundred, a distinction also associated with India’s Virat Kohli.

Shah scored 105 runs from 216 deliveries in Afghanistan’s first innings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on October 11. His knock included 10 fours and two sixes, providing Afghanistan with a vital contribution against a challenging Bangladesh bowling attack.

The achievement was particularly significant because Shah had only recently taken over the Test and ODI captaincy from Hashmatullah Shahidi in July 2026. His first assignment leading Afghanistan in the longest format therefore became an opportunity to establish himself both as a leader and as a dependable middle-order batter.

Despite Shah’s individual success, Afghanistan struggled to match Bangladesh’s first-innings total, leaving the visitors with work to do in the remainder of the one-off Test.

Rahmat Shah Anchors Afghanistan’s Reply

Bangladesh had posted 346 runs in their first innings, putting pressure on Afghanistan’s batting lineup to produce a substantial response.

Shah played a crucial role in keeping Afghanistan competitive, combining patience with well-timed attacking shots. His innings demonstrated the importance of experience in Test cricket, where batters must manage difficult periods without losing the ability to score.

Opening batter Abdul Malik also contributed 62 runs from 120 balls, helping Afghanistan build a platform. Wicketkeeper-batter Ikram Alikhil added 32 runs from 103 deliveries, offering resistance as Bangladesh continued to take wickets.

However, the Afghan batting lineup could not turn these contributions into a comparable team total. Afghanistan were eventually dismissed for 240, giving Bangladesh a first-innings advantage of 106 runs.

Shah’s century remained the standout performance for Afghanistan, particularly given the pressure associated with his first Test match as captain.

Hasan Mahmud Produces a Historic Bowling Performance

While Shah dominated Afghanistan’s batting effort, Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud delivered an equally notable performance with the ball.

Mahmud claimed a hat-trick and completed a five-wicket haul, becoming the first Bangladeshi fast bowler to take a hat-trick in Test cricket. He also became only the third bowler from Bangladesh to achieve the feat in the format.

Before Mahmud, Alok Kapali had recorded a Test hat-trick against Pakistan in 2003, while Sohag Gazi achieved the milestone against New Zealand in 2013.

Mahmud’s performance strengthened Bangladesh’s position in the match and restricted Afghanistan to a total well below the hosts’ first-innings score. His contribution was further highlighted by reaching 50 Test wickets, becoming the fastest Bangladesh pace bowler to reach the milestone.

Bangladesh Enter Strong Position in Abu Dhabi Test

Bangladesh’s first innings was built on several important batting contributions. Tanzid Hasan Tamim scored 83 runs, Shadman Islam made 67, and Litton Das contributed 53, helping the team reach 346.

The combined impact of Bangladesh’s batters and Mahmud’s bowling gave the side control of the match after the first innings.

For Afghanistan, Shah’s captaincy debut offered an encouraging individual milestone, but the team’s overall performance highlighted the challenge of competing against an opponent that had produced contributions across departments.

His century could provide confidence as he continues to lead Afghanistan in Test cricket. Nevertheless, the immediate priority remains improving the team’s overall performance and responding to Bangladesh’s first-innings advantage.

The contest in Abu Dhabi has produced two memorable individual achievements: Shah’s historic century on his captaincy debut and Mahmud’s record-setting bowling display. Together, they have made the one-off Test an important occasion for both sides.