Pakistan bowls out for 274 with Mehidy taking five
Bangladesh knocked out Pakistan for 274 on day two of the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday with five wickets from spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Bangladesh reached 10 for no loss at stumps with Shadman Islam on six and Zakir Hasan on zero, seeking a strong reply to win the series 2-0 after winning the previous game at the same venue by 10 wickets.
After rain and a wet outfield ruined the opening day, Bangladesh bowlers Miraz (5-61) and Taskin Ahmed (3-57) took key wickets and controlled the run-rate. After the tourists won the toss and fielded, Taskin bowled Abdullah Shafique with a swinging delivery in the first over after having replaced Shoriful Islam, who injured his groin.
Pakistan rebounded from that early setback and reached 99-1 at lunch with Masood scoring his 10th half-century, but Miraz removed him lbw for 57 when play resumed. After the 107-run stand for the second wicket ended, Bangladesh bowlers gained confidence and could have taken more wickets but for careless catches.
Ayub was stumped for 58 a few overs later after coming down the track and missing Miraz’s flighted ball, while Saud Shakeel, dropped at slip on one, died after hacking Taskin’s delivery back onto his stumps. After stopping the runs, Bangladesh dismissed out-of-form Babar Azam for 31 before lunch and Mohammad Rizwan for 29 after tea, leaving Pakistan at 211-6.
Khurram Shahzad left trying a big shot and Mohammad Ali fell as Miraz claimed his third and fourth victims late in the day before Ahmed dismissed Salman Agha for 54. The tourists’ bowling performance ended with Miraz stumping Abrar Ahmed. Rain on Friday cancelled the first day of the second Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Rain delayed the toss overnight, and following further monsoon rains, umpires called off play after midday. Bangladesh XI: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana. Pak XI: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Khurram
