Litton Das stood up with the bat when the chips were down for Bangladesh as his ton helped the hosts recover from a precarious position to post 278 on the board when at one stage, even 250 was looking distant. Litton Das soaked up the pressure from the Pakistan bowlers and scored a ton to help Bangladesh get some respectability. It was a day when Pakistan had the better of Bangladesh for most parts.
For Pakistan, Khurram Shahzad in the side for this Test match was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 4 wickets, while Mohammad Abbas picked up 3 wickets. Hasan Ali picked up a couple of wickets as the pacers took advantage of the moisture and greenness of the surface. Pakistan have begun steadily, ending the day at 21/0 in 6 overs and setting up for an interesting second day’s play.
Mohammad Abbas’ double strike keeps Bangladesh under check in an engrossing morning session
Put into bat first, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and debutant Tanzid Hasan Tamim came out to open for Bangladesh while Mohammad Abbas had the ball in hand for Pakistan. Pakistan and Abbas got off to the perfect start as Joy was removed for a silver duck with an outside edge to the second slip fielder, Salman Ali Agha. Mominul Haque came out to bat next as the first over was a wicket maiden. Khurram Shahzad came into the attack next from the other end. Tanzid got off the mark with a triple as he drove it towards long-on.
Abbas continued as Tanzid hit the first boundary of the match with a square drive through the cover point region for a boundary. Abbas gifted 4 byes to the batting side as a bonus. Shahzad continued and bowled a decent over. Abbas kept things tight as well. Mominul broke the shackles as he opened the bat face and guided it through backward point for a boundary. Mominul drove away from the body and raced away to the deep cover point fence.
Abbas continued as Tanzid clipped it away past Rizwan for a boundary to the fine leg fence. Tanzid slashed it away over the backward point for a boundary. Hasan Ali came into the attack next for Pakistan. Hasan got injured while fielding the ball and went off the field. Salman Ali Agha came to complete the over. Spin was introduced into the attack as Sajid Khan came into the attack. Sajid bowled a quiet over. Abbas continued and struck again as debutant Tanzid Hasan fell for 26 off 34 balls, getting a start and getting out. Tanzid tried to pull and lobbed it back to the bowler.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto came out to bat next with the score at 44/2 in 10 overs. Sajid continued as Mominul got the ball on the pads and swept it through fine leg for a boundary. Shanto got off the mark under streaky circumstances as the outside edge went past second slip, and they took a triple. Abbas continued and bowled a quiet over. Sajid bowled a probing over. Bangladesh were 55/2 in 13 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the morning session.
Abbas continued after the break and bowled a quiet over. Sajid continued as Shanto picked up the length and pulled it through the cow corner for a boundary. Khurram Shahzad came back into the attack. He struck straightaway as he knocked Mominul over for 22 off 41 balls with 3 fours to his name with a peach of a delivery. Mushfiqur Rahim came out to bat next. Sajid continued and bowled a good over. Shanto survived an LBW scare as Pakistan burnt a review against him.
Shahzad overstepped. Shanto got forward and tried to defend as the ball went past the inside edge and the leg stump for a boundary at deep fine leg. Hasan Ali was back in the ground and now resumed his bowling. Shanto got an outside edge past second slip and gully for a boundary. Shahzad bowled another good over. Hasan kept things tight. Shahzad continued and overstepped twice in the over. Rahim then pushed it down with soft hands past the backward point for a boundary.
Sajid Khan came back into the attack as Rahim drove it down past backward point for a boundary. Hasan Ali bowled a maiden. Sajid continued as the 100 came up for Bangladesh in 25.3 overs. Bangladesh reached 101/3 in 26 overs with Shanto unbeaten on 26 off 51 balls and Rahim unbeaten on 18 off 31 balls when we all paused for the Lunch Break with the match evenly poised at this stage.
Pakistan strikes thrice to tighten the screws on Bangladesh in the afternoon session
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim came to resume the innings for Bangladesh while Mohammad Abbas started the proceedings after Lunch. Abbas started with a maiden. Sajid Khan came to bowl from the other end. Rahim survived a call down the leg side as he had gloved it to the keeper. The umpire turned it down, and Pakistan did not opt for the review. Replays showed the ball hit the gloves. Abbas continued and bowled a good over. Sajid bowled another good over. Abbas bowled a maiden over.
Sajid bowled a maiden as well. Abbas continued, and he got rid of Shanto. The skipper tried to play and leave it and got the outside edge through to Rizwan, who crouched low and took a good reflex catch inches from the ground. Litton Das came out to bat next. Sajid bowled another tight over. Abbas kept things tight. Sajid bowled another good over. Khurram Shahzad came back into the attack and overstepped again.
Shahzad struck for Pakistan as he removed the experienced Rahim for 23 off 64 balls with 2 fours to his name. Rahim was given out. He reviewed and saw the umpire’s call on hitting the stumps. The review was retained, but he had to walk back to the hut. Mehidy Hasan Miraz came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Sajid bowled a quiet over. Shahzad continued as Miraz survived a close run-out check with the dive, saving him.
Miraz then fell to Shahzad for 4 off 6 balls as the short ball from the bowler was mistimed to deep backward square leg, as Bangladesh were in tatters now. Taijul Islam came out to bat next. Sajid bowled a tight over as Bangladesh reached 117/6 in 40 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the afternoon session. Shahzad continued after the break as Litton got into the front foot, and the pull shot was hit over midwicket for a boundary. Sajid continued and bowled a decent over.
Shahzad bowled another decent over. Sajid bowled another probing over. Hasan Ali returned to the attack. Litton Das helped it on its way with a pull past the keeper for a boundary. Sajid continued as Taijul tried to cut it away and got the outside edge past first slip for a boundary. Hasan continued as Litton slashed it away with a cut to deep backward point for a boundary. 150 came up for Bangladesh in 46.3 overs. Sajid bowled another probing over.
Hasan Ali continued and bowled a probing over. Sajid continued as Litton hit the ball with brute power back to the bowler, who put down a tough chance with Das batting on 33*. Hasan continued and bowled a decent over. Sajid kept things under check. Salman Ali Agha came back into the attack as the 50-run stand came up between the two players. Sajid came to bowl the final over before Tea and overstepped as well. Bangladesh reached 168/6 in 54 overs with Taijul unbeaten on 11 off 31 balls and Litton Das unbeaten on 42 off 77 balls when players left the field for Tea Break.
Litton Das’ century rescues Bangladesh to post 278; Pakistan begin steadily to be 0 down at stumps
Litton Das and Taijul Islam came out to resume for Bangladesh while Mohammad Abbas had the ball in hand for Pakistan. Taijul smashed and drove him through the covers for a boundary. Sajid Khan had the ball in hand from the other end and bowled a quiet over. Abbas bowled a good over. Sajid continued and got the breakthrough to break the 60-run stand as Taijul was dismissed for 16 off 40 balls with 2 fours to his name as the bowler cleaned him up. Taskin Ahmed came out to bat next.
Taskin got off the mark with a boundary by getting an inside edge past the stumps and to the short fine leg fence. Pakistan wasted a review on Taskin Ahmed this time. Abbas continued as Das came on the front foot to pull, but got the outside edge that went over Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha for a boundary. The fifty came up for Das in 93 balls. Sajid continued and bowled another good over. Shahzad continued as Das got a faint edge to the keeper. They appealed as Rizwan was confident, but the bowler wasn’t. Pakistan did not challenge, and then saw the spike.
Sajid continued as Litton swept him away along the carpet for a boundary. Shahzad continued as Litton went for the pull shot and got the top edge over fine leg for a boundary as the 200 came up for Bangladesh in 62.3 overs. Litton was on the charge as he pulled it towards deep square leg for a boundary. Shahzad conceded a wide one as well. Litton was dealing in boundaries now as he came down the track to loft it over the umpire’s head for a boundary to long-on.
Litton bent low and swept it away past deep square leg for a boundary. Shahzad continued and got rid of Taskin Ahmed for 7 off 13 balls with one four to his name as he drove away from the body and got the thick outside edge to Salman Ali Agha at second slip. Shoriful Islam came out to bat and survived for now. Sajid continued and bowled a quiet over. Shahzad continued as Litton takes him on with a pick up shot as he swivelled and pulled it over deep square leg for the maximum, the first of the day.
Das took the attack to Sajid as he pumped the first ball over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Litton punished him again as he flighted a full delivery outside the off-stump and got down. Das dragged the sweeper shot to the left of deep square leg for a boundary. Shahzad continued as Das used the pace of the bowler and flicked it down to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.
Sajid continued as Shoriful found the gap as the short ball outside the off-stump, where Shoriful beat the diving cover point fielder for a boundary. Shoriful Islam was given OUT LBW. Islam reviewed it, and the ball missed the leg stump, and the decision was overturned. Bangladesh were 243/8 in 70 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the final session.
Shahzad continued and then the moment came for Litton Das as he extended his hands and slapped it through covers for a boundary, his 6th Test ton as everyone in the dressing room gave a round of applause in the dressing room. Das was on a roll as he picked the length up and pulled it over deep fine leg for the maximum. This was Litton’s 3rd ton vs Pakistan. Sajid continued and bowled a decent over. Hasan Ali returned to the attack as Das drove it through the covers for a boundary. Sajid continued as Shoriful lifted it over mid-on for a boundary with a whack.
Hasan continued as Das punished the ball by pulling the short ball down to deep midwicket for a boundary. Abbas returned to the attack. Litton then timed the ball to perfection as he drove it between backward point and covers for a boundary. Hasan continued, and he removed Litton Das for a scintillating knock. Litton swivel pulled the ball to deep square leg where Fazal took the catch. Litton fell for 126 off 159 balls with 16 fours and 2 sixes to his name.
Nahid Rana came out to bat next. Hasan cleaned up the tail as he removed Nahid Rana for a 4th ball duck with the edge to the keeper. Rana reviewed for the sake of it, and it was out, and the review was lost. Bangladesh were bowled out for 278 in 77 overs, with Shoriful remaining unbeaten on 12 off 30 balls with 2 fours to his name. 13 extras given by the fielding side.
For Pakistan, Khurram Shahzad was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/81 in 17 overs. Mohammad Abbas finished with 3/45 in 16 overs. Hasan Ali chipped in with 2/49 in 11.5 overs. Sajid Khan finished with 1/96 in 31 overs. Salman Ali Agha finished with 0/1 in 1.1 overs. This meant Pakistan had to come out to bat now.
Azan Awais and Abdullah Afzal came out to bat for Pakistan while Taskin Ahmed had the ball in hand for Bangladesh. Awais got off the mark with a boundary with an off-drive through mid-off for a boundary. Shoriful Islam shared the new ball from the other end. Fazal showed the full face of the bat, and the off-drive went to the long-off fence. Taskin continued as Azan again square drove the ball past the point fielder for a boundary.
Shoriful continued and bowled a maiden over. Mehidy Hasan Miraz came into the attack next. He started with a maiden over. Nahid Rana came to bowl the last over of the day. Fazal drove it through deep point for a triple. Awais then smashed the ball as he drove it through the covers for a boundary. At the end of 6 overs, Pakistan were 21/0 with Awais unbeaten on 13 off 20 balls with 3 fours to his name and Fazal unbeaten on 8 off 16 balls with one four to his name. 0 extras so far.
4 bowlers were used by Bangladesh in the 6 overs that were bowled. Taskin Ahmed bowled 2 overs for 8 runs. Shoriful Islam bowled 2 overs for 6 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled a maiden over. Nahid Rana bowled an over for 7 runs. Pakistan trails by 257 runs with 10 first innings wickets in hand at the end of Day 1.
What Lies Ahead on Day 2
We got a full day’s play in despite the rain threat, and there is a weather prediction of rain on all 5 days of the Test match. So, we hope that the rain stays away. It’s been an engrossing first day’s play with Pakistan having the slight upper hand despite Litton Das’ heroics. Pakistan will want to bat well on Day 2, while Bangladesh will want early wickets to put pressure on Pakistan and test them. An important Day 2 is ahead of us. Pakistan had the better of the day; Bangladesh can bounce back tomorrow.
Let’s see how things unfold tomorrow.
Also Read:Â BAN vs PAK: Pakistan Docked 8 WTC Points For Slow Over Rate