Pakistan made a cautious start in response to Bangladesh’s first innings total of 278, reaching 21 without loss at stumps on the opening day of the second Test at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Pakistan got to bat six overs after booking the home side for 278 in 77 overs, and their emerging openers successfully led them to 21/0 before the on-field umpires called it a day.
Azan and Fazal, unbeaten on 13 and nine, respectively, will resume Pakistan’s first innings on day two as they trail Bangladesh by a further 257 runs. Put into bat first, the home side made 278 all out despite having been reduced to 116/6 soon after lunch, courtesy of Das, who batted sensibly with the tail to add crucial runs. The right-handed batter top-scored for Bangladesh with a monumental 126 off 159 deliveries, studded with 16 fours and two sixes.
He was amply supported by the lower-order batters Taijul Islam (16) and Shoriful Islam (12 not out), with whom he shared 60-plus partnerships each. Khurram Shahzad was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking four wickets for 81 runs in his 17 overs, followed by Mohammad Abbas with three. Hasan Ali made two strikes, while spinner Sajid Khan chipped in with one. At Tea, the home side were relatively well-placed at 168/6, with Das and bowling all-rounder Islam unbeaten on 42 and 11, respectively.
Bangladesh had a disastrous start to the second session as their captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (29), veteran Mushfiqur Rahim (23) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (four) were dismissed in the span of just 36 deliveries and consequently slipped to 116/6. Following the middle-order collapse, Islam joined forces with Das, and the duo batted sensibly to knit an unbeaten 52-run partnership for the seventh wicket, which kept Bangladesh afloat. At the lunch on the opening day, the home side were 101/3 in 26 overs, with captain Najmul and Rahim unbeaten on 26 and 18, respectively.
The hosts got off to a dismal start to their innings as experienced seamer Abbas got right-handed opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy caught at second slip on the second delivery of the innings. Following the early stutter, Mominul Haque joined opener Tanzid Hasan in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 44 runs for the second wicket until the latter fell victim to Abbas in the 10th over and walked back after scoring 26 off 34 deliveries.
Haque was then involved in a brief 19-run partnership for the third wicket with captain Shanto until being cleaned up by Khurram Shahzad on the final delivery of the 16th over. The left-handed top-order batter made 22 off 41 deliveries.
With the scoreboard reading 63/3, experienced Rahim joined forces with Shanto, and the duo batted sensibly to ensure leading Bangladesh to the break without further setback as they raised an unbeaten 38-run partnership for the fourth wicket.SYLHET: Experienced wicketkeeper batter Litton Das’s valiant century on the opening day powered Bangladesh to a formidable total against Pakistan in the second Test, underway here at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Put into bat first, the home side made 278 all out despite having been reduced to 116/6 soon after the Lunch, courtesy of Das, who batted sensibly with the tail to add crucial runs. The right-handed batter top-scored for Bangladesh with a monumental 126 off 159 deliveries, studded with 16 fours and two sixes. He was amply supported by the lower-order batters Taijul Islam (16) and Shoriful Islam (12 not out), with whom he shared 60-plus partnerships each.
Earlier, after being put into bat first by Pakistan captain Shan Masood, Bangladesh got off to a dismal start to their innings as Mohammad Abbas dismissed their right-handed opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy on the second delivery of the innings. Following the early stutter, Mominul Haque and debutant Tanzid Hasan stitched an anchoring 44-run partnership until Abbas struck again in the 10th over, dismissing the opener, who could muster 26.
Haque followed suit 35 deliveries later as he was cleaned up by Khurram Shahzad before captain Shanto and veteran Mushfiqur Rahim launched a recovery. The experienced pair put together 43 runs for the fourth wicket, but Abbas broke the budding partnership by dismissing the skipper briefly after the break. Bangladesh then lost two more wickets of Rahim (23) and all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz (four) within 36 deliveries and had consequently slipped to 116/6.
Khurram Shahzad was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking four wickets for 81 runs in his 17 overs, followed by Mohammad Abbas with three. Hasan Ali made two strikes, while spinner Sajid Khan chipped in with one.