The proceedings of the fourth day of the ongoing second test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Rawalpindi’s Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium got interrupted due to rain and the umpires decided to call an early stumps as Bangladesh ended day four with a score of 42-0 while chasing a target of 185 runs set by the Shaheens.
The Bangla Tigers need 143 runs to secure a historic test series win against the Shan Masood-led team. Opening batters Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam are still there at the crease and they will be keen on finishing things off quickly in tomorrow’s fifth and final day of the game.
Zakir has played the role of going after the Pakistani bowlers as he has scored 31* runs in 23 deliveries while Shadman on the other hand is batting at 9* runs in 19 deliveries and is keeping control of the other end.
Earlier in the day, the visitors inflicted an all-out on the home side for 172 runs after the seam bowling duo of Nahid Rana (4-44) and Hasan Mahmud (5-43) completely dominated the Pakistani batting unit with their pace and bounce as the batters were unable to find an answer against the sheer brilliance of the duo.
The Green Shirts started day four at the score of 9-2 and got off to a decentish start as captain Shan Masood (28 runs in 34 balls) and opener Saim Ayub (20 runs in 35 balls) got involved in a partnership of 38 runs for the third wicket.
However, things started to go downhill for Pakistan as Ayub departed after fast bowler Taskin Ahmed managed to dismiss him.
Captain Shan Masood followed suit as Nahid Rana sent him back to the dugout in the 17th over.
Following the dismissals of Masood and Ayub, experienced players Saud Shakeel (2 runs in 10 deliveries) and Babar Azam (11 runs in 18 deliveries) were expected to steady the sinking ship of Pakistan, but, Bangladeshi fast bowler Nahid Rana had some other plans as he got the better of both the batters in quick succession which made things even worse for the hosts.
Babar once again failed to convert his start into a big inning and this was his 16th inning without scoring a half-century in the longest format of the game.
The Shaheens were struggling at a score of just 81 runs at the loss of six wickets but the middle order duo of Salma Ali Agha (47 runs in 71 deliveries) and Mohammad Rizwan (43 runs in 73 deliveries) initiated the saviour act for their side and stitched a useful partnership of 55 runs for the seventh-wicket.
Just when it looked like the Green Shirts will get an opportunity to come back in the match, Bangladeshi skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto handed the ball to 24 year old Hasan Mahmud and he repaid his captain’s faith in him as he went to dismiss Rizwan and Mohammad Ali in consecutive deliveries.
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