Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz staged a remarkable recovery for Bangladesh on Sunday, putting on a crucial 165-run stand for the seventh wicket to rescue their team from a precarious position of 26-6 in response to Pakistan’s first innings total of 274.
On the third day of the second Test at Rawalpindi, Bangladesh found themselves in deep trouble early on. However, Das and Mehidy’s steadfast partnership provided a glimmer of hope. By tea, Bangladesh had progressed to 193-8, with Das unbeaten on 83 and Mehidy contributing a vital 50 before being dismissed just before the interval.
Khurram Shahzad, who had been instrumental in dismantling Bangladesh’s top order, claimed his fifth wicket of the innings by removing Mehidy. Shahzad, who had already secured 4-15 in his initial spell, ended the session with career-best figures of 6-73 after also dismissing Taskin Ahmed for a single run.
The pitch at the Rawalpindi stadium eased up during the second session, allowing Bangladesh to mount their fightback after a rain-affected first day, which saw the entire play on Friday washed out. Shahzad’s earlier spell had been devastating, and he had reduced Bangladesh to 26-6 with a spell of 4-15. Mir Hamza also contributed with 2-29.
The partnership between Das and Mehidy initially held firm at 49 runs, with Mehidy making a gritty 48-ball knock punctuated by seven fours. At the break, Bangladesh needed 49 more runs to avoid the follow-on, with four wickets still remaining.
The innings began on a sour note as Shahzad dismissed Zakir Hasan for one, followed by a burst of wickets that saw Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto fall in quick succession. Hamza’s quick strikes on Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim compounded the pressure on Bangladesh.
As the innings progressed, Shahzad’s persistence paid off again with Shakib Al Hasan’s dismissal, leaving Bangladesh in a desperate situation before the resilience of Das and Mehidy became apparent.
Bangladesh currently leads the two-match series 1-0 after their historic 10-wicket victory in the first Test, marking their first win in 14 matches against Pakistan. The ongoing Test promises an exciting finish as Bangladesh seeks to consolidate their series lead.
