DHAKA: After the final session was lost due to bad light, Pakistan was 161-2 at stumps on the first day of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Saturday.
After left-arm spinner Taijul Islam dismissed openers Abdullah Shafique (25) and Abid Ali (36), the play did not restart after the tea break, with Pakistan skipper Babar Azam on 60 and Azhar Ali on 36 not out (39).
The morning session belonged to Bangladesh’s bowler, who used his spin to challenge Pakistan’s batters.
Ali and Shafique, who scored 146 and 151 runs respectively in the first Test in Chittagong, looked assured early on as they expertly navigated the new ball in slightly overcast circumstances.
Ali, the first Test’s man of the match, overpowered the bowlers with six boundaries.
Before the spinners forced Pakistan to slow down, Shafique showed aggression by hoisting Taijul for the only six of the morning.
If the third umpire had not given Azhar the benefit of the doubt, Taijul could have dismissed him. Bangladesh challenged the on-field umpire’s not-out verdict, but the result could not be changed because the ultra-edge showed an unclear contact of the ball to bat. After winning the first Test by eight wickets, Pakistan leads the two-match series 1-0.
Bangladesh made three changes to their selection, with Mahmudul Hasan making his Test debut and Shakib Al Hasan and Khaled Ahmed joining the team after the first Test.
Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali, and Abu Jayed have been left out of the first Test.
On the ICC World Test Championship standings, Pakistan is in second place, while Bangladesh is in last place. A victory in the second Test will not only rescue their blushes but will also propel them into the middle of the table.
Playing XI
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, Najmul Hossain, Mominul Haque (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (captain), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Nauman Ali, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Sajid Khan
