Bangladesh versus Pakistan Test Series, 2024

1st Test

Day-2 Evening Session Highlights:

Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel’s centuries has put Pakistan team in control on Day 2

At The Stumps of Day-2:

Pakistan scored 448/6 decl. (1st Innings), where as Bangladesh scored 27/0 .

So, finally Pakistan lead by 421 runs.

Mohammad Rizwan’s career-best 171, combined with his 240-run fifth-wicket partnership with Saud Shakeel (141), propelled Pakistan into a commanding position in the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan declared their innings at 448/6, after losing only two wickets on the second day’s play.

In response, Bangladesh’s openers safely navigated a challenging 12-over period, taking the visitors to 27/0 at Stumps.

Shakeel and Rizwan resumed their resilient partnership on the morning of Day 2, having already added 44 runs the previous day.

They skillfully rotated the strike, took advantage of boundary opportunities, and maintained a steady scoring rate, while Bangladesh’s bowlers struggled to extract any assistance from the pitch, whether with pace or spin.

Rizwan was the third Pakistan batter to reach fifty in the innings, deftly guiding a short ball from Nahid Rana to the third man boundary, a shot he would replicate later.

Rizwan displayed his authority with a pull shot off Rana to register his first six, shortly after which the pair brought up their century stand as Bangladesh’s bowlers continued to toil.

Najmul Hossain Shanto cycled through his bowling options, but none could stem the flow of runs, with Rizwan regularly finding the boundary and maintaining a strike rate above 80, eventually surpassing his batting partner.

Both batters entered the 80s and went into Lunch unbeaten, having added 98 runs in the morning session.

Rizwan, resuming the second session on 89, swiftly reached his century, smashing a six and a four off Shakib Al Hasan.

Shakeel, in contrast, accumulated runs more cautiously, reaching his hundred with a couple off Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Bangladesh’s wicketkeeper Litton Das missed a few opportunities behind the stumps, granting Rizwan valuable reprieves.

Despite taking the second new ball as soon as it became available, Bangladesh’s bowlers couldn’t stem the tide, as Pakistan crossed 300 and the fifth-wicket partnership surpassed 200 runs.

Litton attempted to create a chance when Shakeel, batting out of his crease, shouldered arms to Hasan Mahmud, but the batter managed to get back in time.

However, Shakeel’s resistance ended when Mehidy Hasan lured him out of the crease, allowing Litton to swiftly remove the bails and break the monumental partnership.

The second session yielded 111 runs for Pakistan, who continued to assert their dominance.

Agha Salman joined Rizwan after Tea, striking a boundary off Rana and putting on a solid 44-run stand.

Rizwan, reaching 150 for the first time in his Test career, achieved the milestone with a six and a three off Shoriful Islam.

The partnership ended just before Pakistan crossed 400, as Salman edged a delivery from Shakib trying to clear midwicket.

Shaheen Afridi then contributed a brisk 29 off 24 balls in a 50-run stand with Rizwan before captain Shan Masood declared the innings.

Bangladesh’s openers, Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan, endured some nervous moments at the start of their innings, edging Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah deliveries for a couple of boundaries.

Despite the swing and movement from the Pakistan pacers, who frequently beat the bat, Islam and Hasan managed to survive until Stumps.

However, with Pakistan firmly in control, Bangladesh faces a daunting task with the bat on Day 3.