In a comeback story for the ages, Litton Das sublime 138 backed up by Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s confident 78 helped Bangladesh bounce back from the depths of 26 for 6 to post 262 and keep Pakistan’s first-innings lead to a mere 12 runs in the second Test in Rawalpindi. This was Litton Das fourth Test century and his first in more than two years.
Litton Das was also ably supported by No. 10 Hasan Mahmud, who hung around for a ninth-wicket partnership that frustrated Pakistan for 149 balls, on top of adding 69 valuable runs as Bangladesh closed in on parity. In the end, the visitors fell a mere 12 short. Bangladesh’s remarkable turnaround continued with the ball too with Hasan picking up two wickets in 10 balls. Pakistan, at 9 for 2, could only wonder what if having begun the third day’s play so well.
Day 3 : Morning Session : Khurram Shahzad leaves Bangladesh in tatters
Hamza and Shahzad got the new ball to move both ways in the first hour. The former could have had Zakir Hasan twice in the over. A clip off the pads bounced slightly ahead of the square leg fielder, while Pakistan didn’t review a leg-before appeal crashing into the stumps, given not out by the on-field umpire.
Zakir fell in the next over to Shahzad, who clipped it right to Abrar Ahmed at square leg. The fast bowler struck again as he bowled Shadman Islam around the legs. Things got worse for Bangladesh as skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was castled by Shahzad yet again. The ball angled in to Shanto who lost his balance trying to glance it away.
Tottering at 26 for 6, Mehidy took the attack to Hamza with two boundaries through the offside while Litton Das clinched a boundary of a tiring Shahzad, who was bowling his seventh over on the trot. Mohammad Ali and Abrar Ahmed were comfortably played by the batters. The pitch got easier to bat on, as the ball got older and the sun continued to bake down on the pitch. Mehidy has scored seven boundaries in his innings of 33 so far.
Khurram Shahzad bowled an astounding spell of seven overs as he picked up 4 for 17, ripping through the Bangladesh top and middle order. He picked up three wickets in five balls across two overs and was well supported by Mir Hamza who picked up 2 for 24, at the other end. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das hung in there, registering an unbeaten partnership of 49 as Bangladesh broke for lunch at 75 for 6.
Earlier, the Bangladesh top order seemed clueless against the Pakistan pair of Shahzad and Mir Hamza. They struck six times in 34 balls in the first hour, swinging the new ball through hoops, but more importantly sticking to their lines.
Hamza created the opportunities, but it was Shahzad who got the wickets, picking three in five deliveries. His plan was quite simple. Target Bangladesh’s left-handers from around the wicket and always keep the stumps in play. It worked magnificently.
Shahzad had Zakir Hasan flicking uppishly with Abrar Ahmed taking a simple catch around the short midwicket area. In his next over, he cleaned up Shadman Islam, the opener walking right across his stumps but failing to account for Shahzad’s swing. Three balls later, it was Najmul Hossain Shanto’s turn to walk back, playing all around a full ball to find his middle stump rattled.
Hamza then had Mominul Haque caught off the first ball of the ninth over. It was a meek dismissal, with the batter chipping a full-length ball to mid-on with the Bangladesh score reading 20 for 4. That soon became 26 for 5 when Hamza got a length ball to nibble away ever so late with first-Test hero Mushfiqur Rahim only managing a thin edge through to Mohammad Rizwan. Shahzad then trapped Shakib Al Hasan, who played down the wrong line to be adjudged lbw. Shakib reviewed, but to no avail.
At 26 for 6, Bangladesh’s lowest Test total of 43 looked in danger. But Mehidy and Litton Das shepherded them past that hurdle and many more. With the sheen off the ball, and the Khurram-Hamza pair out of the attack, the two batters dug in and took Bangladesh to lunch without further damage.
Day 3 : Post Lunch Session : Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das gnaw away at Pakistan’s lead
Bangladesh began the session dealing in boundaries as Litton Das hit Shahzad for two boundaries through gully off wide deliveries. Couple of overs later, Litton went one better off the same bowler as he scored three boundaries through gully, a drive down the ground and a pull behind square. Mehidy rounded off the over with a boundary through extra cover to complete a massive 17-run over for the visitors.
The pair continued their counter-attack against Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Ali scoring boundaries at will and rotating strike. They ran the twos well, assisted by the bigger square boundaries at Rawalpindi. The 100-run partnership was brought up with a boundary through gully. The pair that came together at 26/6, also managed to avoid follow-on.
Shahzad was brought back close to the tea-break and was immediately treated with disdain. Litton Das took him on with a four and a six on the leg-side. Mehidy gave him the same treatment two overs later, while Litton rounded the over with another six. Shahzad had the last laugh however, as he got one to hold on to the pitch which Mehidy chipped straight back to the bowler, having played it a tad early. He picked up his sixth as Taskin was late to bring his bat down in time and was struck on the pad off an in-dipper.
A near-flawless session by Bangladesh, as they added 118 runs to the score, brought Pakistan’s lead down to 81 on Day 3 of the second Test at Rawalpindi. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das notched up their half-centuries as the batters took full advantage of an older ball and erratic lines and lengths by the Pakistan bowlers. Khurram Shahzad got the breakthrough of Mehidy and Taskin just before the Tea break, adding the sixth wicket to his tally.
Litton Das went the aggressive route after the break. Still trailing Pakistan by 199 runs, he came down particularly hard on Shahzad, taking him for two fours in three balls in the third over of the session, before smashing him for three fours on the bounce in the next. Bangladesh scored 40 runs in the first six overs after lunch. Litton Das and Mehidy brought up the 100-run stand for the seventh wicket soon after which also saw them avoid the follow-on that was reduced to a margin of 150 as the opening day was washed out.
Litton Das reached his fifty with a clip towards deep backward square leg while Mehidy also did not take much time to reach his eighth Test half-century. Pakistan were not helped by fast bowler Mohammad Ali leaving the field, feeling unwell.
When Shahzad decided to go short, Litton Das and Mehidy took him on with the pull shot and had decent success with it. Litton clubbed the fast bowler over deep square leg while Mehidy got inside the line and achieved the same result over long leg. Having gone for just 15 off his first seven overs, Shahzad went for 58 from his next six. But he managed to make a comeback.
He foxed Mehidy with a fuller ball which he lobbed back to the bowler. That gave Shahzad his five-wicket haul and he quickly added another one, trapping Taskin Ahmed right in front of the stumps which signaled the tea interval. Pakistan would have hoped of a swift end to the innings post the break but Mahmud and Litton Das were having none of it.
Day 3 : Post Tea Session : Litton Das, Mehidy turn the tables on Pakistan on gripping day in Rawalpindi
Litton Das’ (138) fourth Test century, along with a half-century by Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78), headlined Bangladesh’s comeback with the bat on Day 3 of the Rawalpindi Test. The visitors were reeling at 26 for 6 at one stage but hung in there to amass 262, only 12 runs short of Pakistan’s first innings tally. Khurram Shahzad was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 6 for 90.
To kick things off on the third morning, Shahzad and Mir Hamza were on the money straight away for the hosts. Shahzad picked up Zakir Hasan, who clipped one off the pads straight to square leg. He followed it up by bowling Shadman Islam around his legs as the batter lost his balance trying to glance the ball off his pads. Shahzad continued his momentum with a sharp, quick delivery that jagged in and bowled skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto. He picked up these three wickets in five deliveries across two overs.
Hamza complemented Shahzad as Mominul Haque chipped a slower delivery from the bowler to mid-on. Mushfiqur Rahim got a jaffa from the left-arm quick as well, which he nicked behind to the keeper. Shahzad picked up his fourth when he trapped Shakib al Hasan, who played down the wrong line, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 26 for 6.
Mehidy began the counterattack against Hamza with a couple of boundaries, while Litton followed suit against Shahzad. Having comfortably played Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Ali, Bangladesh broke for lunch at 75 for 6.
The pair, who added 165 for the seventh wicket, continued their counterattacking approach into the afternoon session, with Shahzad being taken to the cleaners for six boundaries across his two overs. Both batters capitalized on the older ball and rotated the strike brilliantly en route to their half-centuries. They brought up the 100-run partnership with a boundary through gully.
Shahzad, working under additional workload in the absence of Mohammad Ali during the session, was pulled away for six by both batters as the 150-run partnership was raised. The fast bowler picked up his fifth when Mehidy chipped one back to him and followed it up by trapping Taskin in front of the stumps just before tea.
Litton Das farmed the strike with No. 10 batter Hasan Mahmud at the other end, and in the process, took on Abrar down the ground after the bowler had dropped him off his own bowling. He followed it up with a dab behind point for four a few overs later, bringing up his fourth Test hundred. Litton took the aggressive route against any loose deliveries, clearing the infield for boundaries and the ropes as well on a couple of occasions for sixes.
Skipper Shan Masood put down a simple chance off Mahmud, with Pakistan seeming jaded in the heat. Mahmud and Litton Das put on 69 runs in 24.5 overs before the latter holed out to long-on off Salman Agha. No. 11 Nahid Rana didn’t trouble the scorers, but Bangladesh had gotten close enough to Pakistan’s total in the first innings, turning the tables firmly back on the hosts.
Pakistan had to endure four overs with the bat in a short session of play towards the end of the day, but Abdullah Shafique’s miserable form continued, the opener nicking behind one from Hasan Mahmud. Nightwatchman Shahzad couldn’t fulfill his role either as he was bowled by Mahmud two overs later, leaving the hosts reeling at 9 for 2.
Resuming at 193 for 8 after tea, Litton Das and Mahmud stalled the Pakistan bowlers for more than two hours. Litton farmed most of the strike as he declined singles and only gave Mahmud a handful of balls to face. Mahmud showed solid defensive technique, playing his part in Litton reaching his century. The wicketkeeper-batter, who overcame severe cramps in the second session, reached the milestone with a delicate dab past backward point.
Pakistan finally grabbed the last two wickets when Litton Das, trying to take on Salman Ali Agha, mistimed his shot for once and holed out at long-on. Two balls later No. 11 Nahid Rana shouldered arms to a straight ball and was give out lbw. Apart from Shahzad, Hamza and Salman also chipped in with two wickets apiece.
Bangladesh’s remarkable turnaround continued with the ball too with Hasan picking up two wickets in 10 balls. Pakistan, at 9 for 2, could only wonder what if having begun the third day’s play so well. Khurram Shahzad had set the tone, picking up his first Test-match five-for. He finished with 6 for 90, having ripped through the Bangladesh top order in a fiery spell of 4 for 15 in the first hour of the day. But Mehidy and Litton Das added 165 runs for the seventh wicket to herald the visitors’ fight back. Then there was more rearguard action in the final session.
Day 4 in Focus for Pakistan and Bangladesh
Pakistan dominated the first hour, but it was all Bangladesh for the rest of the day. They end on a high and they’ve put themselves into a position from where they can call the shots tomorrow morning. Pakistan are effectively 21 for 2 and this Test is well poised with two days to go. The hosts needed to bat out 20 minutes and they’ve put themselves in some trouble in that time.
The woefully out of form Abdullah Shafique edged one behind and the nightwatchman was cleaned up with what turned out to be the last ball of the day. Both wickets fell to the impressive Hasan Mahmud, who had bowled well without any luck in the first innings. Pakistan need to win to save the series.
Bangladesh recovered from a horrible start to bounce back into contention first and then seize the initiative as the hosts ended Day 3 effectively at 21 for 2. A draw will do for the visitors but another win will be sweeter, on the other hand, Pakistan will have to do all the running if they’re to win the Test and level the series at 1-1. Despite the first day ruined by rain, a helpful pitch has ensured that this Test is rattling along at pace. It could be a decisive three sessions of play coming up on Day 4.