RECAP
Follow UsPakistan did not seem to have learned their lessons from the first Test as they kept throwing their wickets on Day 2, of the second Test of the two-match series after the first day was washed out due to rain in Rawalpindi. Pakistan were bowled out on 274 on August 31 (Saturday) in 85.1 overs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in the garrison town of the country.
Bangladesh had to come out to bat for two overs, and the openers Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan played it out calmly, with the Tigers reaching 10/0 in their first innings. Though Pakistan would rue the fact that they could have got Shadman on the first ball of the innings if not for Saud Shakeel dropping a sitter in third slip, there were many more things to rue for the Men in Green as they headed to the dressing rooms.
Abdullah Shafique’s failure
Right after being asked to bat first, Pakistan had a horrendous start to their day, with opener Abdullah Shafique getting cleaned up by Taskin Ahmed, who was the only change in Bangladesh, playing 11 from the last game. Shafique looked like a walking wicket with the way he faced the five balls, which were out-swingers, and then let the in-swinger through his bat and pad, which crashed into the timber behind him.
Masood-Ayub partnership
Pakistan skipper Shan Masood then took the attack to the opposition and scored at more than run-a-ball for most of his innings, getting to his 10th Test fifty in just 54 balls. Youngster Saim Ayub did well alongside him as the two put on 107 for the second wicket and shifted the momentum to a great extent in Pakistan’s favour.
Mehidy makes it five
Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh as the off-spinner picked up his 10th five-wicket haul. He got Masood LBW and got Ayub out stumped.
After Ayub had already hit a six off the previous ball, he came charging down again, and Mehidy slowed the ball down by nearly six KMPH. While the previous delivery at 92 KMPH, this one was bowled at just 86 and managed to outfox the Pakistani opener as Litton Das did the rest behind the stumps.
The 26-year-old off-spinner also got the last wicket in the form of Abrar Ahmed, who, too, was stumped. In between Abrar and Ayub, Mehidy had the wickets of Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali to his name.
Best figures for a Bangladesh spinner in overseas Tests
6/33 - Shakib Al Hasan vs WI, Jamaica, 2018
6/99 - Shakib Al Hasan vs SA, Centurion, 2008
6/135 - Taijul Islam vs SA, Gqeberha, 2022
5/36 - Mohammad Rafique vs PAK, Multan, 2003
5/51 - Mahmudullah vs WI, Jamaica, 2009
5/61 - Mehidy Hasan Miraz vs PAK, Rawalpinidi, 2024
Babar fails to capitalise
Babar Azam failed to capitalise on yet another start and got out to Shakib Al Hasan for 31 off 77 balls. After having done it in the hard yards, he was rushed by an arm-ball that hurried him, and before he could get on the back foot, he hit his pads. This was the 15th innings in a row where Babar has been without a fifty in the red-ball format.
Taskin takes a toll on Pakistan
Taskin, making a comeback from injury into the Bangladeshi side, was right on the money with his approach and got his team wickets exactly when they needed it. Apart from the first-over strike to get Shafique, Taskin also broke the 28-run stand for the ninth wicket between Agha Salman and Abrar Ahmed by getting the former caught on deep fine leg on a planned bouncer on the last ball of an over. In between, he had Saud Shakeel chop one back onto his stumps, making it a three-wicket day for the pacer.
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