Taijul Islam picked up 7-116 to give Bangladesh a 54-run first-innings lead before Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-6) and Hasan Ali brought Pakistan back in the contest on Day 3 of the first Test match in Chattogram. By stumps, Bangladesh were 39/4. However, they still lead Pakistan by 83 runs, and perhaps hold a slight upper hand.
Pakistan resumed the day on 145/0, with Abid Ali seven runs away from a hundred and debutant Abdullah Shafique on 52. Taijul Islam trapped Shafique and Azhar Ali leg before off successive balls in the first over to get Bangladesh off to an excellent start.
Abid, though, did not take much time to reach his century, his fourth in Test cricket, as wickets fell at regular intervals at the other end. Mehidy Hasan Miraz cleaned up Babar Azam (10), while Taijul got a referral correct to claim Fawad Alam (8). Pakistan were 203/4 at lunch, adding 58 in the first session for the loss of four wickets.
Ebadat Hossain pinned Mohammad Rizwan in front of the stumps right after the break. Abid followed soon, in similar fashion, off Taijul. Taijul then completed his ninth five-wicket haul by dismissing Hasan, after the latter played a couple of shots during his eight-ball stay. Faheem Ashraf, No. 7, then scored a crucial 38 to reduce the lead to 44.
Pakistan came back strongly in the second innings, removing Bangladesh’s top four – Shadman Islam, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque – early, leaving them at 25/4. Yasir Ali and Mushfiqur Rahim then held for nine overs to extend the lead to 83.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 330 (Liton Das 114; Hasan Ali 5-51) and 39/4 (Saif Hassan 18; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-6) lead Pakistan 286 (Abid Ali 133; Taijul Islam 7-116) by 83 runs.