South Africa have declared at 575/6

In a remarkable display of batting, South Africa concluded their first innings in the Chittagong Test with a total of 575 runs, falling just short of breaking their own record of 583 runs set in 2008 against Bangladesh on the same ground. This innings marks the highest total for South Africa against Bangladesh in Test cricket and their third-highest score in Asia.

The innings saw significant contributions from several players, with Wiaan Mulder scoring an impressive 105 not out. His partnership with Senuran Muthusamy, which added 154 runs for the seventh wicket, was instrumental in pushing the team’s total. Muthusamy himself made a notable contribution, scoring 70 runs off 75 balls.

The day began with a solid opening partnership, but it was Tony de Georghi and Tristan Stubbs who formed a critical 201-run partnership, with Stubbs eventually scoring a century. De Georghi added another 116 runs with David Beddingham, showcasing a day filled with impressive batting feats.

For the first time since 1997, South Africa witnessed three partnerships exceeding 100 runs in a single innings on the subcontinent, underscoring the dominance of their batting lineup. Muthusamy, playing in his fourth Test, achieved his maiden fifty with a flurry of boundaries, reaching the milestone in just 62 balls.

Adding to the historic nature of the innings, five South African batsmen scored over 50 runs— the first time this has occurred in the subcontinent since 2000.

Additionally, the South African batsmen set a new record for the most sixes in a single Test innings, hitting 17 sixes, surpassing the previous record of 15 against the West Indies in 2010.

With their commanding performance, South Africa has not only taken a significant lead in the match but also etched their names in the record books.