CHITTAGONG: Tajiul Aslam dismantled Pakistan’s batting order to get Tigers in the commanding position but Bangladesh top order failed in the second innings.
Pakistan, resuming at the overnight score of 145/0, could not make the most of the situation as the debutant opener Abdullah Shafique was sent back to the pavilion without disturbing the scoreboard as the batter went out without scoring a run on day 3. He was trapped in legs on 52 by Tajiul.
Abid Ali was looking firm at one end as the batter went on to score a magnificent century (133 off 282 deliveries) but Green shirts’ strong middle order kept tumbling at the other end and the side lost their five wickets for just 61 runs. Pakistan’s all-rounder and lower-order batter – Faheem Ashraf showed resistance but he was too sent back to the pavilion on 38 by Tajiul. Pakistan’s tail did little to resist and Pakistan in the end were bowled out for 286, handing the Tigers 44 runs lead.
Pakistani skipper – Babar Azam could not keep going in Bangladesh as the batter got out for just 10, wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan scored just 5 (38). Fawad Alam could only score 8 (15) and Pakistan’s most experienced batter in the side – Azhar Ali, bagged a golden duck.
Tajiul proved out to be the stand-out bowler for the Tigers as the spinner took 7 wickets for 116. Ebadat Hossain bagged two wickets. Whereas, Mehidy Hassan dismissed one batter.
Bangladesh started their second innings with a 44-runs lead but their top order failed to capitalize on the given opportunity as they had no answers to Pakistan’s bowling attack. Tigers lost their first wicket with just 14 on the board as their opening batter Shadman Islam was sent back to the pavilion on 1 by Shaheen Shah Afridi. A ball later the bowler dismissed Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck. Hassan Ali then also joined the party as the bowler dismissed the skipper Mominul Haque for a duck.
Bangladesh at the end of day-three, finished with 39/4 with the lead of 83 runs. Wicket-keeper batter Mushfiqur Rahim, not-out on 12, and Yasir Ali (8*) will resume the innings tomorrow for the Tigers.
Afridi, who dismantled the Bangladesh’s top-order, took three wickets for just 6 runs. Hasan Ali took one wicket for 19.
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