Sabbir Rahman kept Bangladesh’s hopes of a Test win alive with a half century on Sunday as the Tigers would need 33 runs on Monday, the final day of the first Test.
Visiting England need just two wickets, and they will be equally determined to send Sabbir, who is on 59, and Taijul Islam, who has already got 11 vital runs, back to the pavillion when the team resume play on the fifth day.
Chasing 286, the Tigers were given hopes by Imrul Kayes (43), Mominul Haque (27) and Shakib Al hasan (24), but Gareth Batty and Moeen Ali struck twice each while Adil Rashid removed a sorry Tamim Iqbal to put England in control.
But skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and Sabbir then brought Bangladesh back to the game with a 87-run stand, only for the former to be baffled by a Batty delivery.
Sabbir then kept the fight on and the Tigers are hopeful their Test return will fetch a victory.
