India, Oct. 13 -- In what will be remembered as one of the most gripping Tests in recent history, Afghanistan held their nerve to secure a dramatic draw against Bangladesh on the final day of their one-off Test at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Chasing a massive target of 479 to win, Afghanistan's realistic goal was to survive and snatch a draw. They achieved exactly that, finishing the match on 346/8 when the umpires called off the match. The hero of the survival effort was Sediqullah Atal. He played a staggering innings of 111 from 332 deliveries, staying tall till the very end, in a show of immense character and concentration.

Armed with a 106-run lead, Bangladesh launched a counter-attack in their second i...