Rawalpindi Hosts Enthralling Test as Bangladesh Tighten Grip on Pakistan
In a gripping day of Test cricket, Bangladesh made significant strides towards a 2-0 series sweep, dismissing four Pakistan batters during the morning session on the fourth day of the second match. Fast bowler Nahid Rana emerged as the star of the session, troubling the hosts with his fiery pace and bounce to finish with figures of 3 for 22.
Resuming the day at 9 for 2, Pakistan’s Saim Ayub and Shan Masood initially looked comfortable, collecting 34 runs in the first 6.2 overs. However, Taskin Ahmed’s clever fuller-length delivery invited Ayub into a loose drive, and Najmul Hossain Shanto’s excellent catch at mid-off sent the opener back to the pavilion.
“Captain Babar Azam failed to find his rhythm, missing a straight delivery from Mehidy Hasan Miraz that struck him on the pads. Although the review suggested the ball was missing the stumps, Bangladesh’s momentum continued to build.”
Nahid Rana’s introduction to the attack proved pivotal, as he first removed the dogged Masood with an edge to the keeper, followed by Babar’s dismissal, caught at first slip. The Bangladesh pacer then dismissed the in-form Saud Shakeel, leaving Pakistan reeling at 81 for 6, with a slender lead of 129 runs.
Despite Mohammad Rizwan’s gritty unbeaten 38, the visitors’ persistent pressure and Nahid’s hostile bowling put Pakistan in a precarious position. Rizwan, who was struck on the helmet by a nasty Nahid bouncer, showed resilience to steady the innings alongside Salman Agha, as the duo added 36 runs before the lunch break.
As the teams head into the afternoon session, Bangladesh will aim to wrap up Pakistan’s innings quickly and build on their momentum, while the hosts will look to Rizwan and Salman to counterattack and regain control of the match.
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