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Only Rain Can Rescue Pakistan Avoiding Whitewash

Saleque Sufi | banglanews24.com
Update: 2024-09-03 11:29:53
Only Rain Can Rescue Pakistan Avoiding Whitewash

Bangladesh -Pakistan Test Series 
2nd Test Played at Rawalpindi 
Brief Scorecard at Stumps Day Four 
Pakistan 1st innings 274 All Out in 85.1 Over (Saim Ayub 58, Shan Masood 57, Salman Agha 54, Babar Azam 31, Mohammad Rizwan 29, Mehedy Miraj 5/61, Taskin Ahmed 3/57, Shakib Al Hasan 1/34, Nahid Rana 1/58) 
Pakistan 2nd Innings 172 All Out in 46.4 Overs (Salman Ali Agha 46* , Mohammad Rizwan 43, Shan Masood 28, Saim Ayub 20, Hasan Mahmood 5/43. Nahid Rana 4/44, Taskin Ahmed 1/40) 
Bangladesh 1st Innings   262 All Out in 78.4 Overs (Litton Kumar Das 138, Mehidy Hasan Miraj 78. Hasan Mahmood 13*, Khurram Shahzad 6/90, Salman Ali Agha 2/13.    Mir Hamza 2/50 
Bangladesh 2nd Innings 42/0 in 6 Overs 
Bangladesh needs 143 to win the test with 10 wickets at hand
Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field

New Bangladesh looking hungry and aggressive is poised to earn a comprehensive test series win against Pakistan in Pakistan in the ICC Test Championship. Bangladesh won the first test by 10 wickets. At stumps on day four of the 2nd test Bangladesh needs another 143 runs with all second innings wickets at hand.

Pakistan scored 274 all out in the first innings. Bangladesh replied scoring 262. In the second innings brilliant all round pace attack (Hasan Mahmood 5/43, Nahid Rana 4/44, Taskin Ahmed 1/40) restricted Pakistan to 172 all out. Bangladesh on rain curtailed day reached 42/0 chasing a victory target of 185. 
When bad light stopped play after only one over after tea on day four of the Rawalpindi test Bangladesh required scoring only 143 runs for achieving back-to-back test match win against Pakistan. It will earn Bangladesh a comprehensive series whitewash. Going by the trend of the test and the series only rain can rescue Pakistan from avoiding that ignominy, Weather forecast sates of overnight and early morning rain. Play may be possible only in the post tea session. 
The proceeding of day four started with Pakistan at 9/2 losing Abdullah Shafique and night watchman Khurram Shazad knocked out early by Hasan Mahmood before stumps on day three. Pakistan had mission of scoring well and setting Bangladesh a difficult target for chasing. Pakistan mission was winning the test and salvaging the pride. But this Bangladesh team now play to win. This attack has quality, enthusiasm and hunger for win. Saim Ayub did not last long. But Shan Masood was looking good. Bangladeshi pacers Taskin, Hasan Masood was breathing fire. Especially young Nahid Rana was bowling very fast consistently at 145 plus. One of his delivery clocked 152 kmh . Batsmen of the repertoire of Babar Azam, Shan Masood, Salman Agha struggled in coping with three prong pace attack backed up by agile, sharp fielding. Taskin dealt early blow before Hasan Mahmood (5/43) and Nahid Rana (4/44) bruised, battered and humbled Pakistan to 172 all out. 
Bangladesh got only 6 overs to bat before bad light followed by rain stopped play. Bangladeshi openers raced to 42/0. Zakir was batting on 31 well compiled runs, Shadman was on 9. Bangladesh is all but sure of winning the series. Whether or not it will be a comprehensive series whitewash will depend on how much play will be possible on day five as rain and thunderstorm may cause play of day five completely washed out. 
Looking back to the match played over the last four days Bangladesh dominated the proceeding from day two bundling out Pakistan for 274 all out on the day two. First day of the test was completely washed out without a ball being bowled. Pakistani batters were spun out by willy Mehidy Hasan Miraj taking 5 wickets for 61 runs. Taskin assisted him taking 3 wickets for 57. Pakistan rocked Bangladesh top and middle order reducing them to 22/6. But then amazing Litton Kumar Das (138) and Majestic Mehidy Hasan Miraj (78) setting a new world record turned the tide in favor of the touring team. Even tail ender Hasan Mahmood battled over 51 balls scoring unbeaten on 13. Bangladesh reached within 12 runs of Pakistan first innings total. 
It was spin and pace in the first innings, but it was all pace for Bangladesh in the second innings that drowned Pakistan batting. For the first time in its cricket history Bangladeshi pacers took all 10 wickets in a test innings against any team.  Paradigm shift for Bangladesh cricket. 
Well Bangladeshis around the world will keep fingers crossed for play to start and continue till the winning run is struck. Cricket in a funny game. Whatever be the case Bangladesh is assured of wrapping up the series. What a pleasure it will be for new Bangladesh. 

BDST: 1125 HRS, SEPT 03, 2024
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