Bangladesh 348/5 in 98.4 overs. BAN vs PAK Live Score, 1st Test Day 2: 50 for Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh eye 400-plus
After electing to bowl first, Pakistan made an ideal start as fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali restricted Bangladesh to 31/2 inside 11 overs. Afridi dismissed Mahmudul Hasan Joy for 8 runs, while Hasan Ali dismissed Shadman Islam for 13 runs.
However, the early successes proved to be Pakistan’s only major success for a long time as Nazmul Hussain Shanto and Mominul Haq carried the innings forward with a brilliant 170-run partnership for the third wicket.
Shanto played an aggressive role in the stand, scoring 101 runs with the help of 12 fours and two sixes, while Mominul led the innings with a composed 91 runs. Together they frustrated Pakistan’s bowling attack during the middle session and shifted the momentum strongly in Bangladesh’s favour.
Pakistan finally broke the situation in the 53rd over when Mohammad Abbas had Shanto out LBW soon after completing his brilliant century. Then Bangladesh’s score was 201/3.
Mominul continued to pile on the runs and made another important partnership of 75 runs with Mushfiqur Rahim, but missed his century after falling to Noman Ali for 91 runs in the 74th over.
At the end of the game, Mushfiqur remained unbeaten on 48 runs, while Liton Das remained unbeaten on 8 runs and the pair made an unbroken 25-run partnership to take Bangladesh past 300 runs.
Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to maintain control for most of the day, with Abbas emerging as the choice of attack with figures of 1/51 and the best economy among the visiting bowlers. Due to slow over rate, Pakistan also failed to complete its full quota of overs and could play only 85 overs.
Bangladesh will now aim to score over 400 in the first innings on the second day, while Pakistan will hope that the second new ball can help them strike early and get themselves back into the contest.