Mahfijul Islam achieves unwanted 'duck' record on Test debut

Johannesburg: Bangladesh's debutant Mahfijul Islam was dismissed on the first ball of the first Test match between South Africa and Bangladesh at the Wanderers Stadium here on Sunday as he registered an unwanted record.

Mahfijul, coming in for the injured Shadman Islam, was caught at slips on the first ball of the match off Kagiso Rabada on a ball that seamed away, and the batter played it way too far from his body.

With Mahfijul's early dismissal, he has become the first Bangladesh player and only fourth in Test cricket history to have been dismissed on the first ball of a Test match on debut.

Before him, Afghanistan's Abdul Malik was dismissed on the first ball of the Abu Dhabi Test on his debut in 2021. Jimmy Cook of South Africa also fell on the first ball of the Durban Test against India on his debut in 1992, while former West Indies cricketer Leon Garrick also fell on the first ball of the Kingston Test against South Africa in 2001.

Meanwhile, Rabada's first-ball dismissal has also made him just the fourth South African to take a wicket on the first ball of a men's test match. Before him, Bert Vogler, Allan Donald and Dale Steyn had achieved the feat.

Vogler did so when he dismissed England's Tom Hayward on the first ball of the Oval Test in 1907, while Donald repeated the feat in 2001 when he got Windies' Garrick in that Kingston Test. Steyn then became the third Proteas bowler to enter the list when he got England's Andrew Strauss dismissed on the first ball in a 2010 Test match.

Bangladesh opted to bat first after winning the toss and were in early trouble after Rabada nicked Mominul Haque behind on a duck to send the visitors 2/2. The Proteas speedster then also cleaned up captain Najmul Hossain Shanto in the ninth over to send them 22/3.

Bangladesh have gone with three seamers in Hasan Mahmud, Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed and have Mehidy Hasan Miraz as their front-line spinner. They have plenty of part-time options.

South Africa have welcomed back Zubayr Hamza and Dane Paterson in the Playing XI as they made two changes from the team that recently defeated Australia in the third and final Test of the series.

Bangladesh have never beaten South Africa in Test cricket, having lost to them in 14 of the 16 matches, with two ending in a draw.

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