A brilliant century from Mohammad Hafeez helped Pakistan going into a strong position against Bangladesh on the second day of first Test match after the hosts batting collapsed at Khulna on Wednesday. Bangladesh were shot down to 332, after resuming on 236-4 before Hafeez’s unbeaten 137 runs guided tourists to 227-1 when the stumps were drawn, trailing by 105 runs in the first innings with nine wickets in hand.
Hafeez made his third century in three consecutive Tests and became the sixth Pakistani to do so, leaving the hosts in awful load to make a comeback in the game.
Hafeez and Azhar Ali (65 not out) put on unbeaten 177 runs in Pakistan’s highest second-wicket partnership against Bangladesh after debutant Sami Aslam (20) was out after a rapid opening stand of 50.
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (1 for 43) broke the partnership that looked threatening when Aslam snick a leg-side delivery and was caught behind the wicket by skipper Mushfiqur Rahum.
Initially he was given not out by the field umpires but Bangladesh went for a referral and claimed the verdict in their favour.
Bangladesh had to bear the brunt of some silly batting on a pitch where Pakistan batsmen scored effortlessly as they added only 96 runs to their overnight total.
Tigers lost their last five wickets for 27 runs as they could not manage to get their strategy in proper place and looked to be batting without an aim.
Their disappointment furthered when Pakistan, who were sloppy on day one, looked to hold on to everything that came in their way starting with the dismissal of Sakib al Hasan.
Sakib (25) was smartly caught at leg-slip by Asad Shafiq off Babar for put in debutant Soumya Sarkar (33) at crease with Mushfiqur Rahim (32) and they put on 62 for the sixth wicket before Pakistan hit back with three wickets in the space of seven runs.
Soumya was dismissed by another good catch by Asad in the covers off Hafeez before Yasir had Mushfiq caught in the covers and bowled Taijul round his legs.
Tigers were sloppy in the field and their butter fingered show allowed visitors to take the control of the game.
Azhar looked shaky at the start, and survived chances on 11 and 28. Mahmudullah dropped an easy catch at slip off Sakib while captain Mushfiqur Rahim failed to hold another catch of Azhar off debutant fast bowler Mohammad Shahid.
Mushfiq injured his ring finger while trying to take the catch. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays, and Tamim Iqbal took over to lead the side.
‘Mushfiq’s ring finger is strained,’ said the BCB media manager Rabeed Imam.
‘We hope to have him fit by tomorrow [today] as he did not pick any fracture,’ he said.
-With New Age input
