Pakistan closed the opening day of the second Test match with 21 for no loss in six overs, trailing by another 257 runs, after pacers Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali shared nine wickets to dismiss Bangladesh for 278 in 77 overs here at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
After they were inserted in by Shan Masood, Bangladesh were reeling at 116-6 in 38.2 overs and then 176-7 when Litton Das helped them recover with a 126-run knock off 159 balls as he shared two half-century partnerships with Taijul Islam and Shoriful Islam lower down the order.
Pakistan’s breakout stars of the first Test Azan Awais (13 not out, 20b, 3x4s) and Abdullah Fazal (8 not out, 16b, 1×4) opened the innings with 36 balls to see off the day as incumbent opener Imam-ul-Haq made way for Babar Azam in the playing XI.
Azan and Abdullah saw out the two overs each bowled by Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nahid Rana sent down an over each before stumps were drawn.
Earlier, pacer Khurram Shahzad – playing his seventh Test and first since January 2025 – returned a haul of four for 81 in 17 overs and he was ably supported by the senior spearhead Mohammad Abbas, who backed up his six-wicket match haul from Dhaka Test with figures of 16-3-45-3.
Hasan Ali picked up two for 49 in his 11.5 overs after being stretchered off the field in the eighth over of the day – his first – when his head hit the turf in follow-through attempting to catch the ball.
Sajid Khan replaced Noman Ali and picked up the solitary wicket of Taijul, breaking the 114-ball 60-run stand and giving Pakistan the coveted seventh breakthrough.
Hasan put an end to Litton’s knock before snapping Nahid’s scalp to finish the Bangladesh innings, while Khurram broke the 38-run stand between Litton and Taskin.
At the start, Abbas gave Pakistan the perfect start with a wicket-maiden opening over removing Mahmudul Hasan Joy for a two-ball duck before removing the debutant Tanzid Hasan (26, 34b, 3x4s) as well in the 10th over.
Pakistan pacers put a spanner in the works for the Bangladesh batting line-up as they took five for 72 from last ball of 10th over to second ball of 38th over as Tanzid, Mominul Haque (22, 41b, 3x4s), Najmul Hossain Shanto (29, 74b, 3x4s) and Mushfiqur Rahim (23, 64b, 2x4s) perished after getting starts.
Khurram brought one in from outside off from round the wicket to beat Mominul’s inside edge as the ball crashed into the stumps. Shanto edged one behind to Mohammad Rizwan off Abbas, who plucked his 100th Test wicket overseas becoming just the sixth Pakistan pacer to do so.
Mushfiqur Rahim was pinned leg-before wicket by Khurram four overs after Shanto’s departure, while 10 balls later Khurram induced a catch at deep fine leg with a short ball off Mehidy, which was plucked by Hasan, who had returned to the field earlier towards the end of first session.
Scores in brief:
2nd Test – Day 1 Stumps – Pakistan v Bangladesh at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet
Bangladesh 278 all out, 77 overs (Litton Das 126, Najmul Hossain Shanto 29, Tanzid Hassan 26, Mushfiqur Rahim 23, Mominul Haque 22; Khurram Shahzad 4-81, Mohammad Abbas 3-45, Hasan Ali 2-49)
Pakistan 21-0, 6 overs (Azan Awais 13 not out)
