Mohammad Rizwan (171 not out), Saud Shakil (141) innings cement Pakistan position
Abdul Jabbar Faisal
RAWALPINDI: A 240-run on 346 balls partnership between Saud Shakil (141) and Mohammad Rizwan (171 not out) for the 5th wicket cemented the position, as Pakistan scored 448 runs for 6 in 113 overs in the first Test match against Bangladesh in the first Test at Pindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi on Thursday. Bangladesh were 27 for 0 in 12 overs at the end of the second-day game.
Pakistani resumed their first innings at 158 for 4, as both not-out batters Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakil displayed top-quality cricket and hit tons to amuse the handful of spectators in the stadium. It was a third century each for Rizwan (31st Test) and Saud (11th Test) as the two batters sent the Bangladesh bowlers on a leather chase on a wicket that continued to assist the fast bowlers. For Rizwan, whose previous best was against South Africa, it was a second century at this venue, while the third was in Karachi against Australia. For Saud, it was his first century at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after his previous two were in Karachi (125 not out) and Galle (208 not out).
Rizwan’s 239-ball knock was punctuated with 11 fours and three sixes and Saud struck nine fours in a 261-ball innings. Rizwan was dropped twice during his innings, while Saud survived a close run-out before being stumped off Mehidy Hasan Miraz that gave wicket-keeper Litton Das his third scalp of the innings. After the 240-run fifth wicket partnership that ended with Saud’s dismissal, Rizwan put on 44 runs for the sixth wicket with Salman Ali Agha (19) and an unbroken 50 runs for the seventh wicket with Shaheen Shah Afridi, whose 24-ball 29 not out included a four and two sixes.
Neither Hasan Mahmud nor Shoriful Islam managed to pick up any wickets on the second day in which Pakistan scored 290 runs in 72 overs and finished with two for 70 and two for 77, respectively.
Summarised Scorecard (Day-2):
Pakistan Batting (First Innings): 448 for 6 declared
Abdullah Shafique (c Zakir Hasan b Hasan Mahmud) 2 runs in 14 balls
Saim Ayub (c Mehidy Hasan Miraz b Hasan Mahmud) 56 runs in 98 balls (4x4, 6x1)
Shan Masood (c Litton Das b Shoriful Islam) 6 runs in 11 balls
Babar Azam (c Litton Das b Shoriful Islam) 0 run in 2 balls
Saud Shakeel (St. Liton B Hasan Mirza) 141 runs, 261 balls (4x9, 6x0)
Mohammad Rizwan (not out) 171 runs in 239 balls (4x11, 6x3)
Agha Salman (c Mehidy Hasan Miraz b Shakib Al Hasan) 19 runs, 36 balls (4x1, 6x0)
Shaheen Shah Afridi (not out) 29 runs, 24 balls, 4x1, 6x2)
Bangladesh Bowling:
Shoriful Islam (2 for 77), Hasan Mahmud (2 for 70), Hasan Mirza (1 for 80), Shakib ul Hasan (1 for 100)
Bangladesh Batting (First Innings): 27 for 0
Shadman Islam (Not Out) 12 runs, 30 balls, (4x2, 6x0)
Zakir Hasan (Not Out) 11 runs, 42 balls, (4x1, 6x0)
Pakistan Team: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Agha Salman, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Khurram Shahzad
Bangladesh Team: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana
Match Officials:
Umpires: Adrian Holdstock (South Africa) and Richard Kettleborough (England)
TV Umpire: Micheal Gough (England)
Reserve Umpire: Rashid Riaz (Pakistan)
Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)
