Sylhet: At the end of the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh, Pakistan started their final innings smoothly and found themselves at 0/0 in 2 overs.
The visitors will start their second innings at the crease on day four with openers Abdullah Fazal and Azan Awais.
Resuming their second innings with a 46-run lead, the hosts were bowled out for 390 in 102.2 overs, with Mushfiqur Rahim’s exceptional century and half-centuries from opener Mahmud Hasan Joy and middle-order batsman Lytton setting Pakistan a target of 437 runs.
Rahim scored 137 runs off 233 balls with 12 fours and a six as he was dismissed by Sajid Khan. Das scored 69 off 92 balls including 5 fours while Mahmudul Hasan scored 52 off 64 balls with 10 fours.
In the end Mushfiqur’s crucial partnerships with Das and Taijul Islam paved the way for Bangladesh to post a huge score. Mominul Huq made a valuable contribution with 30 off 60 balls with 3 fours.
Taijul scored 22 runs off 51 balls with 2 fours while Mehidi Hasan Miraz and Shoribul Islam added 19 and 12 runs respectively.
For Pakistan, Khurram Shahzad took 4/86 in 20 overs, while Sajid Khan claimed three wickets. Hasan Ali took 2 wickets and Mohammad Abbas took 1 wicket.
Earlier, after being bowled out, Bangladesh were bowled out for 278 and slipped to 116/6 shortly after lunch, largely due to a composed and commanding innings from Liton Das, who held the innings together and led the bottom order.
The right-handed batsman scored 126 off 159 balls with 16 fours and 2 sixes.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shando scored 29 runs off 74 balls with 3 fours and Tanzid Hasan scored 26 runs off 34 balls with 3 fours.
Mominul Haq scored 22 runs off 41 balls with 3 fours while Mushfiqur Rahim added 23 runs off 64 balls including 2 fours.
Lytton received valuable support from the lower order, with Taijul Islam scoring 16 and Shoriful Islam remaining unbeaten with 12 as he put together crucial partnerships of over 60 runs with both batsmen.
For Pakistan, Khurram Shahzad took 4 wickets for 81 runs in 17 overs. Mohammad Abbas took 3 wickets and Hasan Ali 2 wickets. Spinner Sajid Khan also suffered a scalp injury.
In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 232 in 57.4 overs, with Bangladesh taking a 46-run first innings lead thanks to dominant bowling.
Babar Azam scored a struggling 68 off 84 balls, while Nahid Rana was dismissed with 10 fours, while Sajid Khan scored 38 off 28 balls with 2 fours and 4 sixes.
Captain Shaun Masood and Salman Ali Agha scored 21 runs each while openers Azaan Awais and Mohammad Rizwan scored 13 runs each.
Fast bowler Nahid Rana and spinner Taijul Islam led the Bangladesh bowling with three wickets each, while Taskin Ahmed and Mehidi Hasan Miraz grabbed two wickets each.