RAWALPINDI, Aug 24 (APP): Mushfiqur Rahim became only the second Bangladesh batter after Mohammad Ashraful (190) to be dismissed in the 190s as Pakistan were left chasing the first Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Mushfiqur, who started the fourth day’s play at his overnight score of 55 in Bangladesh’s 316 for five while replying to Pakistan’s 448 for six declared, was dismissed after scoring 191 in Bangladesh’s 565, their third highest total outside home.
When play ended on the penultimate day, Pakistan, trailing by 117 runs on the first innings, were 23 for one after 45 minutes of batting with Abdullah Shafique (12) and captain Shan Masood (nine) at the crease. Saim Ayub (one) was the batter to be dismissed.
Mushfiqur, who featured in the first four-day match for Bangladesh ‘A’ against Pakistan Shaheens, took full advantage of a DRS reprieve when he was on 59 with the scoreboard showing Bangladesh as 324 for six was eventually caught at the wicket off fast bowler Mohammad Ali who ended with figures of two for 88. Mushfiqur occupied the crease for eight hours and 42 minutes during which he received 341 deliveries of which 22 were converted into fours and one into six.
When Mushfiqur reached three figures off 200 balls with 12 fours, he completed his 11th Test century, making him the second most successful Bangladesh batter after Mominul Haque (12).
The diminutive 37-year-old, in association with 26-year-old Mehidy Hasan Miraz, broke the 48-year-old record when the duo put on 196 runs for the seventh wicket – highest against Pakistan to date, eclipsing the 186 runs partnership between Warren Lees and Sir Richard Hadlee in Karachi in 1976.
Mehidy, who was dropped on 52 and 59, was the ninth batter out after scoring a 179-ball 77 with six fours. He fell to Shaheen Shah Afridi, who celebrated the birth of his first child by finishing with figures of two for 88 off 30 overs.
Pakistan had started the fourth day’s proceedings promisingly when Naseem Shah dismissed Litton Das to make Bangladesh 332 for six. Litton, who was 52 overnight, managed to add only four runs to his score.
But then Pakistan had to wait for another 56 overs before finding another success.
After Mushfiqur was the seventh batter to be dismissed, Hasan Mahmud lasted 18 balls for his naught before falling to Shaheen. He was followed by Mehidy and the innings was finally wrapped up when Shoriful Islam’s breezy 14-ball 22 was ended by Naseem.
Naseem turned out to be the most successful of the four-pace attack with figures of 27.3-6-93-3, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shahzad picked up two wickets apiece.
Salman Ali Agha turned down 41 overs and remained wicketless, but he will consider himself unlucky as two catches were dropped off his bowling.
Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 171 not out with the bat in Pakistan’s 448 for six declared, accounted for four batters behind the stumps, but was also guilty of dropping Mehidy when 52.
Scores in brief (day 4 of 5):
Pakistan (1st innings) 448-6d (Mohammad Rizwan 171 not out, Saud Shakeel 141, Saim Ayub 56, Shaheen Shah Afridi 29 not out; Hasan Mahmud 2-70, Shoriful Islam 2-77).
Bangladesh (1st innings) 565 all-out, 167.3 overs (Mushfiqur Rahim 191, Shadman Islam 93, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 77, Litton Das 56, Mominul Haque 50; Naseem Shah 3-93, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-88, Mohammad Ali 2-88, Khurram Shahzad 2-90)
