Follow-on looms for Bangladesh after Sajid Khan’s six-for
Sajid Khan struck two blows at the start of the Bangladesh innings  (AFP/Getty Images)
Sajid Khan struck two blows at the start of the Bangladesh innings (AFP/Getty Images)

… hosts will fight to survive after another batting collapse

SAJID Khan’s maiden six-wicket haul left Bangladesh in danger of being made to follow-on with one day of the Dhaka Test to go. It remains to be seen if the weather will halt Pakistan’s push for full WTC points, though.

Yesterday, play was called off at 16:30hrs, an hour before the scheduled close. Conditions remained murky all day. Yet, it was better than on the three previous days when heavy rain allowed just 63.2 overs to be bowled in the Test.
Pakistan got busy as soon as play commenced at 10:50hrs. They first declared on 300 for four, with half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Fawad Alam.

Then, despite being hamstrung by the umpires’ diktat that play wouldn’t continue if they operate with fast bowlers, Pakistan made inroads with spin.

Debutant Mahmudul Hasan Joy tried to charge off-spinner Sajid, only managing to edge to slip. Then, Hasan Ali made his presence felt at point, first with a simple catch to dismiss Shadman Islam before running-out Mominul Haque with a direct hit.

Mushfiqur Rahim was the next to go, one ball after surviving a close lbw call, as he tried to swing Sajid across the line with Fawad taking the catch at short midwicket. Then, Liton Das, sent ahead of Shakib Al Hasan, tried to attack Sajid but only hit one back to the bowler as Bangladesh slipped to 46 for 5.

Sajid then completed his five-for when he trapped Najmul Hossain Shanto for 30. Shanto couldn’t capitalise on his reprieves, first being dropped on 13 and later when he was caught behind off a Nauman Ali no-ball.

Shakib tried to bristle his way for runs, but Bangladesh kept losing wickets. Mehidy Hasan Miraz became Sajid’s sixth victim. Shakib and Taijul Islam then survived 5.2 overs before play was called off.

Pakistan had earlier declared their first innings on 300 immediately after Fawad reached his second Test half-century. Rizwan made an unbeaten 53 off 94 balls, with the pair’s unbroken fifth-wicket stand worth 103.

Rizwan endured slices of luck; he was dropped on 30 apart from surviving two lbw calls from the on-field umpires, both reversed through DRS.

Bangladesh had started well with pacers Ebadot Hossain and Khaled Ahmed bowling well in tandem, with the wickets of Azhar Ali and Babar Azam respectively. It was Khaled’s first Test wicket, having bowled 69.4 overs over three Tests since his debut in November 2018.

PAKISTAN 1st innings
Abid Ali b Taijul Islam 39
Abdullah Shafique b Taijul Islam 25
Azhar Ali c Liton Das b Ebadot Hossain 56
Babar Azam lbw Khaled Ahmed 76
Fawad Alam not out 50
Mohammad Rizwan not out 53
Extras: (lb-1) 1
Total: (four wkts decl., 98.3 overs) 300
Fall of wicket: 1-59, 2-70, 3-193, 4-197.
Bowling: Ebadot Hossain 23-3-88-1, Khaled Ahmed 17.3-5-49-1, Shakib Al Hasan 19-7-52-0, Taijul Islam 25-6-73-2, Mehidy Hasan 14-2-37- 0.

BANGLADESH 1st innings
Shadman Islam c Hassan Ali b Sajid Khan 3
Mahmudul Hasan Joy c Babar Azam b Sajid Khan 0
Najmul Hossain Shanto lbw Sajid Khan 30
Mominul Haque run-out Hassan Ali 1
Mushfiqur Rahim c Fawad Alam b Sajid Khan 5
Liton Das c & b Sajid Khan 6
Shakib Al Hasan not out 23
Mehidy Hasan b Sajid Khan 0
Taijul Islam not out 0
Extras: (b-5, lb-2, nb-1) 8
Total: (seven wkts, 26.0 overs) 76
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-20, 3-22, 4-31, 5-46, 6-65, 7-71.
Bowling: Shaheen Afridi 1-1-0-0, Nauman Ali 12-2-33-0 (nb-1), Sajid Khan 12-3-35-6.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.