Bangladesh Pakistan Test Series
2nd Test Played at Rawalpindi
Brief Score Card at Stump Day Three
Pakistan 1st innings 274 All Out in 85.1 Over (Saim Ayub 58, Shan Masood 57, Salman Agha 54, Babar Azam 31, Mohammad Rizwan 29, Mehedy Miraj 5/61, Taskin Ahmed 3/57, Shakib Al Hasan 1/34, Nahid Rana 1/58)
Pakistan 2nd Innings 9/2 in 3.4 Overs (Hasan Mahmood 2/ 3)
Bangladesh 1st Innings 262 All Out in 78.4 Overs (Litton Kumar Das 138, Mehidy Hasan Miraj 78. Hasan Mahmood 13*, Khurram Shahzad 6/90, Salman Ali Agha 2/13. Mir Hamza 2/50
Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field
Pakistan Led by 21 runs with 8 second innings wicket at hand.
When Pakistani seamers Khurram Shahzad and Mir Hamza exploiting the seaming and swinging condition of Rawalpindi green top wicket with Red Cherry decimated Bangladesh batting 26/6 in only 11.3 overs panic ran through the vein of team Bangladesh. But remaining unphased and undaunted two brave Bangladeshis Litton Kumar Das (138) and Mehidy Hasan Miraj (77) producing what turned out to be a milestone brought Bangladesh back in the contest. It was a record setting 169 partnership in a test innings when the top six wickets were gone before scoring 50 runs. Their magical partnership achieved in majestic glory took Bangladesh within 12 runs of Pakistan first innings score of 274 all out. The home team was reeling, scoring 9/2 in 3.4 overs. What a fascinating test match! All three possibilities -win for Bangladesh, win for Pakistan and a draw all are there if rain does not interfere.
Bangladesh started the day at 10/0 on day three. A resolute Pakistan attack looking desperate craftly exploited the early morning swinging and seaming condition of the wicket. Zakir, Shadman, Shanto, Mominul, Mushfique and Shakib were blown away within 11.3 overs. Khurram and Hamza bowled with sustained aggression pitching the ball consistently at the corridor of uncertainty. At 22/6 Bangladesh was looking down the barrel. With back to the wall two talented Bangladeshis Litton Kumar Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraj chose the occasion as the time of their life. Playing each ball to their merit these two settled first at the wicket and as the ball got older and softer they counterattacked playing glorious strokes all around the wicket.
Milestones started tumbling. The two tweeting tigers matched stroke for stroke and in tandem took the venom out of the Pakistan attack. When Mehedy ultimately perished giving a return catch to Khurram Shehzad scoring 77 the partnership already rewrote history being the highest partnership achiever in a situation when top order failed reaching 50 losing 5 or more wickets. Bangladesh not only avoided follow on but was approaching the Pakistan first innings score. Litton continued his own merry way. Achieving his fourth hundred and undoubtedly his best test innings he continued. With tailender Hasna Mahmood Litton added a valuable 69 for the 9th wicket. His innings of 138 scored off 228 balls contained 13 fours and 4 sixes. Bangladesh innings folded at 262 only 12 runs short of Pakistan first innings. Khurram taking 6/90, Hamza 2/50 were the principal destroyers.
Pakistan coming to bat looked traumatized losing 2 wickets for 9 runs in 3.4 overs. Gaining an overall lead of 21 runs Pakistan has work cut out. They must bat with their skins out against a very potent Bangladesh attack. This match is now wide open. If rain as forecasted does not make major interruption this test is going to witness mouthwatering contest. Pakistan desperately needs winning to salvage some pride. Any other result will mean Bangladesh achieving historic series win. Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan have to prove their class against the likes of Taskin , Hasan Mahmood ,Nahid Rana and also Mehidy Miraj and Shakib Al Hasan. Bangladesh is on the cusp of fairy tale series win.
BDST: 1308 HRS, SEPT 02, 2024
SMS
