Bangladesh’s batting has slipped deeper into crisis as Pakistan continued their dominance on tour, tightening their grip on the home side on the opening day of the first Test at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday. The manner in which the batsmen handled the world-class bowling attack by giving away their wickets made them look like mere novices and it has allowed critics to raise questions again about their credentials in the highest level of the game.
On a good batting track, the Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq took the surprising decision of bowling first but he didn’t need to feel any remorse at the end of the day. Bangladesh’s continued senseless batting approach in the series saw them bundled out for 135 runs in 51.2 overs, just ten minutes before the tea break. The fate of this match is almost written on the wall as Pakistan are well set to take a big first innings lead. They finished the day at 132 for no loss, and only a miracle can change the course of the match.
The two not out batsmen, Mohammad Hafeez (74) and Taufeeq Umar (53), batted brilliantly to ensure Pakistan’s best opening partnership this year, though the latter offered few chances. Otherwise, Bangladesh’s bowling was helpless against them.
But all talk will circle around the batsmen who made a lot of promises before the Test series. But nothing has changed in their approach and it is evident that the top-order is still gripped by panic against the formidable attack. Nasir Hossain once again proved that it’s not impossible to handle this attack if someone has the guts and determination, while debutant Nazimuddin was another exception.
The hometown batsman tried to transfer his domestic form into the Test arena during his 79-ball 31 that featured five boundaries before he was suspiciously caught at slip by Hafeez off Umar Gul. Nasir made sure his side cross the three-figure mark in the first innings through his 68-ball 41 with seven fours and a six.
Spinners have been the main threat in the series so far, but this time pacers Aizaz Cheema and Gul initiated the damage before the tweakers took over. Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman took three wickets each.
The under-pressure opener Tamim Iqbal however looked in fine touch initially to turn his fortunes around as the left-hander even whacked Hafeez, who became the first spinner to open the bowling for Pakistan (and the first spinner in 42 overs to do so in Tests), over long-off but ultimately he failed to give a start, edging Cheema to reach to the wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal. His dismissal simply opened the floodgates as Shahriar Nafees, Mohammad Ashraful and captain Mushfiqur Rahim followed him quickly showing poor technique.
Bangladesh went for lunch on 52-5 when Shakib Al Hasan unnecessarily tried to play a sweep against left-arm spinner Rehman to put a premature end to his partnership with Nazimuddin. The left-hander’s dismissal was, like his attempted scoop against West Indies in the Tigers’ last Test, the ugliest in the rally.
In the end, the word “disappointing” might not be enough to describe the batting effort of the Tigers.
-With The Daily Star input
