Ireland made a strong recovery after losing skipper Andrew Balbirnie in the first over of the Sylhet Test, courtesy of opener Paul Stirling and debutant No. 3 Cade Carmichael, who guided the visitors to 94 for 1 at lunch on Day One.

Stirling, 35, led the charge with an unbeaten 58 off 73 balls, while 23-year-old Carmichael supported him with a patient 30 off 79 deliveries.

However, the Irish pair benefited from Bangladesh’s sloppy fielding, as the hosts dropped three catches in the opening hour of play.

Earlier, pacer Hasan Mahmud struck in the very first over, trapping Balbirnie leg-before for a duck. 

His new-ball partner Nahid Rana maintained pressure from the other end, creating several opportunities — one of which went begging when Shadman Islam dropped Stirling on 8 at second slip.

In the following over, Taijul Islam put down another chance off Hasan’s bowling, giving Carmichael a life on 10. 

Rana then induced a mistimed cut shot from Stirling that went straight to Mehidy Hasan Miraz when he dropped the right-hander at 10.

The pair made full use of those reprieves, adding 94 runs off 152 balls for the second wicket at a healthy run rate of 3.61 by the lunch interval.