RAWALPINDI: An exciting duel between bat and ball on a curtailed opening day of action in the first Test here at the Pindi Stadium left Pakistan and Bangladesh fighting to take early control in the series.
When play was called off following a delayed start Wednesday, Pakistan recovered well to reach 158-4, courtesy of fighting fifties by Saim Ayub (56) and Saud Shakil (57 not out). The both left-handed batsmen helped Pakistan recover from a shaky start that left them in trouble at 16-3. They initiated the recovery process with a gritty 98-run stand for the fourth wicket that gave stability to the total against Hasan Mahmood’s (2-33) early aggression.
The pair raised 98 runs off 138 deliveries before Saim Ayub (56) threw his wicket and was picked up at slips by Mehidy Hasan of Hasan Mahmood. “Playing big innings was in my mind but you never know in cricket what is next in the store for you,” Saim said.
Saim stroked to his first fifty in Test cricket with a straight push that fetched him two and completed a 76-ball half-century with the help of four boundaries and a six. In the process, Saud Shakil also achieved a mini milestone reaching 1,000 runs in the 11th Test match.
Minutes later Pakistan raised a hundred when Nahid Rana conceded four on a wayward wide ball, When Bangladesh put Pakistan into bat first, the grassy pitch that was mowed somewhat earlier in the day, showed signs of movement. Pakistan were caught in the web netted for the tourists as they were reduced to 16-3. Abdullah Shafique was taken brilliantly at gully by jumping Zakir for just 2. His full-blooded shot on an overpitched delivery from Hasan Mahmood was plucked in the air by Zakir. Skipper Shan Masood (6) was next to go offering a fine edge to keeper Litton Das of Shoriful Islam’s incoming delivery. Even the field umpire was unsure of the edge which was later confirmed by the TV umpire. Shan tried to convince the field umpire that it was his pad rather the bat that touched the ball. Once confirmed, he was asked to leave. Even Babar Azam (0) could not stay long and was unfortunate to be caught down the leg of a glance, Pakistan were reduced to 16-3 when Saud and Saim started the rebuilding process.
Hasan Mahmood (2-33) was the pick of Bangladesh bowlers as he made the ball to seam around, beating Pakistan’s top-order batsmen on numerous occasions and also picking up Abdullah and Babar. “All my efforts were to keep a tight line and length. I could have earned some more wickets early on but Pakistan middle-order played well,” he said.
Bangladesh won the toss
Pakistan 1st Innings
Shafique c Hasan b Mahmud 2
Ayub c Hasan b Mahmud 56
Masood (c) c †Litton b Islam 6
Azam c †Litton b Islam 0
Shakeel not out 57
Rizwan † not out 24
Extras: (b 8, lb 3, nb 2) 13
Total: 41 Ov (RR: 3.85) 158/4
Yet to bat: Agha Salman, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Khurram Shahzad
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-14, 3-16, 4-114
Bowling: Shoriful Islam 12-4-30-2, Hasan Mahmud 13-3-33-2, Nahid Rana 10-0-48-0, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 4-0-24-0, Shakib Al Hasan 2-0-12-0
Bangladesh Team: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das †, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana
Umpires: Adrian Holdstock, Richard Kettleborough