Lanky paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi yesterday took four wickets to help Pakistan dismiss Bangladesh for a paltry 233 on the opening day of the first Test in Rawalpindi.
Shaheen recorded figures of 4-53 in 21.5 overs and was ably assisted by fellow pacer Mohammad Abbas (2-19) and spinner Haris Sohail (2-11) to justify Pakistan’s decision to send Bangladesh in to bat on a greenish-yellow Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch.
Pakistan were to bat for five overs, but bad light forced umpires to call it a day.
Bangladesh could have been bowled out inside of 200 had it not been for a defiant display of batting by Mohammad Mithun, who top-scored with 63, including seven fours and a six in his 193-minute stand.
Bangladesh were reeling against pace at 161-6 when Mithun added an invaluable 53-run stand for the seventh wicket with Taijul Islam, who made a resolute 24.
It was Sohail who had Islam caught by Yasir Shah before Pakistan wiped off the tail with the second new ball as 16-year-old Naseem Shah ended Mithun’s resistance, getting him caught behind.
Just before tea, Sohail broke a defiant 54-run stand for the sixth wicket between Liton Das (33) and Mithun as the two led Bangladesh’s fightback after the total dominance of Pakistan bowlers in the first session.
Sohail had dropped Mithun off a luckless Yasir at wide second slip when the batsman was on 22, but compensated for the lapse with two wickets.
Yasir failed to get a wicket in 22 overs, conceding 83 runs.
Earlier, an extended two-and-a-half-hour first session due to Friday prayers truly belonged to Pakistan, as they kept Bangladesh down to 95-3 by lunch.
Shaheen, 19, removed debutant Saif Hassan (nought) off the third ball of the match and then had skipper Mominul Haque (30) to get vital breakthroughs for Pakistan.
Abbas trapped opener Tamim Iqbal with the 10th ball of the match for 3 to leave Bangladesh tottering at 3-2.
Iqbal, who on Sunday last week smashed Bangladesh’s highest first-class score with 334 not out in a domestic match, tried to play across, but missed the ball.
Umpire Nigel Llong of England had rejected the appeal, but Pakistan wisely had it reviewed and the replay showed the ball hitting the stumps.
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