Sylhet: Pakistan openers Abdullah Fazal and Azaan Awais batted sensibly in the dying minutes of the opening day as Liton Das’ valiant century lifted Bangladesh to a mammoth score in the second Test at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Pakistan were required to bat in six overs after relegating the home side to 278 in 77 overs, and their emerging openers successfully took them to 21/0 before the field umpires called it a day.
Azaan and Fazal remained unbeaten on 13 and nine runs respectively, leaving Bangladesh a further 257 runs behind and will resume Pakistan’s first innings on day two.
Batting first, despite being reduced to 116/6 after lunch, the home side were all out for 278, courtesy of Das, who batted smartly to add crucial runs.
The Bangladesh right-handed batsman top-scored with 126 off 159 balls with 16 fours and 2 sixes.
He was adequately supported by lower-order batsmen Taijul Islam (16) and Shoriful Islam (12 not out), with whom he shared partnerships of over 60 each.
Khurram Shahzad, who bowled well for Pakistan, took 4 wickets for 81 runs in his 17 overs and Mohammad Abbas took 3 wickets. Hasan Ali picked up two strikes while off-spinner Sajid Khan picked up a strike.
At tea, Das and bowling all-rounder Islam remained unbeaten on 42 and 11 respectively as the home side looked relatively good at 168/6.
Bangladesh had a poor start to the second session as their skipper Najmul Hossain Sandhu (29), veteran Mushfiqur Rahim (23) and Mehidi Hasan Miraz (four) were dismissed in just 36 balls, slumping to 116/6.
Following a middle-order collapse, Islam joined Das and the duo batted smartly to stitch an unbeaten 52-run partnership for the seventh wicket that kept Bangladesh afloat.
At lunch on the opening day, it was 101/3 in 26 overs, with captain Najmul and Rahim unbeaten on 26 and 18 respectively.
The hosts got off to a poor start to their innings when right-handed opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy was caught at second slip off the second delivery of the innings by experienced seamer Abbas.
After an early stumble, Mominul Haq joined opener Danzid Hasan in the middle and the duo batted carefully to add 44 runs for the second wicket.
Huq was involved in a brief partnership of 19 runs with skipper Shando for the third wicket until Khurram Shahzad cleaned up with the final delivery of the 16th over. The left-handed top-order batsman scored 22 off 41 balls.
With the scoreboard at 63/3, the experienced Rahim along with Shando ensured Bangladesh were taken into the break as the duo batted smartly and added 38 not out for the 4th wicket. Saturday at Sylhet International Cricket Ground.
Batting first, despite being reduced to 116/6 after lunch, the home side were all out for 278, courtesy of Das, who batted smartly to add crucial runs.
The Bangladesh right-handed batsman top-scored with 126 off 159 balls with 16 fours and 2 sixes.
He was adequately supported by lower-order batsmen Taijul Islam (16) and Shoriful Islam (12 not out), with whom he shared partnerships of over 60 each.
Earlier, Bangladesh got off to a poor start to their innings when Mohammad Abbas dismissed right-arm opener Mahmud Hasan Zai on the second ball of the innings after Pakistan captain Shaun Masood batted first.
After an early stumble, Mominul Haq and debutant Tanzid Hasan anchored a stand of 44 and put on 26 until Abbas struck again in the 10th over to dismiss the opener.
Haq was cleaned up by Khurram Shahzad after 35 balls before captain Shando and veteran Mushfiqur Rahim began to recover.
The experienced pair put on 43 runs for the fourth wicket, but Abbas dismissed the captain shortly after the break to break the budding partnership.
Bangladesh lost two more wickets of Rahim (23) and all-rounder Mehdi Hasan Miraz (four) in 36 balls to slump to 116/6.
Khurram Shahzad, who bowled well for Pakistan, took 4 wickets for 81 runs in his 17 overs and Mohammad Abbas took 3 wickets. Hasan Ali picked up two strikes while off-spinner Sajid Khan picked up a strike.