Saud Shakeel and Saim Ayub ground out centuries to lead Pakistan with hard-fought hundreds against Bangladesh managing 158-4 on the rain-affected first day of the opening Test here in Rawalpindi on Friday. Shakeel was not out at 57, while Ayub made a gritty 56 to bring up his first Test fifty. The pair’s stand of 98 for the fourth wicket was pivotal to Pakistan soling their top-order woes when they were down at 16/3.
On 33, Shakeel completed the landmark of 1,000 Test runs and from there dominated with five shots to hit his seventh half-century. He eventually put on an unbeaten 44-run stand with a solid-looking Mohammad Rizwan, who was batting on 24.
Ayub followed with a calm maturity well beyond his 23 years, striking four boundaries and a six but then handing away his wicket when he miscued another pull from Hasan Mahmud to be caught at third slip. Earlier, the new-ball pair of Shoriful Islam and Mahmud rattled Pakistan wickets with two strikes each after a delayed start because of wet outfield conditions following overnight rain.
Shoriful took the early wickets of Pakistan captain Shan Masood (six), and more significantly Babar Azam –a two-ball duck. Shakeel and Ayub, despite the disturbances in their way through thick greened pitch kept things calm for Pakistan’s middle order.
Hasan Mahmud is hopeful Bangladesh can build on a positive beginning to the match saying, “We bowled in good areas and early success was key. Missing ProtocolGM, Umesh YadavWe’ll have a strategy to take early wickets tomorrow.
In contrast, Ayub said that collaborations are important after initial rejection. The way we lost early wickets, partnerships was the key after that. We did that, and I think the hard work will carry over to tomorrow,” he said.
After winning the toss, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto wasted no time and opted to bowl first as Pakistan were under pressure right at the beginning. At tea, Pakistan was 81-3 with Abdullah Shafique taken at gully for just two.
Masood was then snared by Shoriful, after Bangladesh won a review against an lbw call on the field before Azam’s dismissal to wicketkeeper Liton Das off another leg-side delivery meant he had only his first duck in 14 home Tests.
That is a momentous call by Pakistan which looked impossible but they have made it happen as they named four pacers in their solutions while Bangladesh played three fast bowlers and two spinners. This Test series is the part of World Test Championship and Pakistan are placed at sixth, while Bangladesh finds themselves languishing eight in the standings.