5.06 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Pakistan vs Bangladesh 1st Test: Day 1 - Bangladesh 236-4 at close

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies

Bangladesh, who chose to bat after winning the toss, were 236 for four at stumps on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Khulna on Tuesday.

Mominul Haque was trapped leg-before by Zulfiqar Babar off the last ball of the day for 80, leaving Shakib Al Hasan unbeaten on 19 at the Sheikh Abu Naser stadium.

Bangladesh lost openers Tamim Iqbal (25) and Imrul Kayes (51) either side of lunch before Mohammad Mahmudullah (49) and Mominul added 95 for the third wicket.

Tea

Bangladesh, electing to bat after winning the toss, were 150 for two at tea on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Khulna on Tuesday.

Mominul Haque was unbeaten on 35 and Mohammad Mahmudullah was on 31, the pair having put on 58 runs for the third wicket.

Bangladesh lost openers Tamim Iqbal (25) and Imrul Kayes (51) on either side of lunch at the Sheikh Abu Naser stadium.

Tamim was caught at short-leg off Yasir Shah and Kayes gave Mohammad Hafeez a return catch soon after reaching his half-century.

Lunch

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah struck the first blow for Pakistan after Bangladesh made a slow, but steady start to reach 60 for one at lunch on the opening day of the first Test at Khulna on Tuesday.

Yasir broke a 52-run opening stand between Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes just before the break after the hosts won the toss and elected to bat on the slow wicket at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.

Tamim fell for 25 as Azhar Ali took a sharp catch at forward short-leg in the second over of Yasir, who had missed the preceding limited-overs series due to injury.

At lunch, Kayes was unbeaten on 35 and Mominul Haque had yet to score.

Kayes survived a strong leg-before appeal off the third ball of the innings from Junaid Khan, as the TV umpire turned down Pakistan's review.

Mohammad Hafeez dropped Tamim at leg slip off left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar when he was on 16.

Bangladesh handed Test debuts to Soumya Sarkar and fast bowler Mohammad Shahid, while Pakistan picked uncapped batsman Sami Aslam for the opening match of the two-Test series.

Pakistan also ignored senior off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, preferring to go in with two specialist slow bowlers in Zulfiqar and leg-spinner Yasir.
The hosts swept the ODI series 3-0 and also defeated Pakistan for the first time in a Twenty20 international.

Pakistan get a breakthrough as Shah strikes in his second over with a tentative Tamim being caught off bat and pad. Ban 52-1, 27 overs.

Tamim Iqbal c Azhar Ali b Yasir Shah 25 (74b 3x4 0x6)

Kayes reverse sweeps Yasir to bring up the half century of the Bangladesh innings in the 27th over.

Yasir Shah into the attack replacing Hafeez (7-5-6-0). Ban 41-0, 24 overs.

Bangladesh openers seem to be taking a liking to Babar with with Kayes stepping out and slamming him to the long-on fence while Tamim gets a boundary with a reverse sweep next over. Ban 34-0, 20 overs.

Bangladesh openers Tamim and Kayes have survived the first hour of play. Ban 23-0, 15 overs.

Tamim hits his first boundary driving the second ball from Babar through the covers. Ban 21-0, 12 overs.

Spin introduced for the first time with Hafeez replacing Junaid after 10 overs. Ban 14-0

Kayes hits the first boundary of the match in the ninth over latching onto a bouncer from Junaid and pulling to square leg. Ban 14-0, 9 overs.

Pakistan waste a review early after an optimistic leg before appeal against Kayes in the third delivery of the match by Junaid.

Bangladesh have handed Test debuts for Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Shahid.

For Pakistan, left hander opener Sami Aslam will be making his debut while there is no Saeed Ajmal.

Teams

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, Shuvagata Hom, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Shahid

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Junaid Khan, Zulfiqar Babar

Bangladesh have won the toss and elected to bat first.

Preview

With Misbah-ul-Haq returning to take over the captaincy, a beleaguered Pakistan will hope to bounce back from their "lowest point" in international cricket in the two-test series against Bangladesh starting at Khulna on Tuesday.

Bangladesh won their first one-day international against Pakistan in 16 years before going on to make a clean sweep of the three-match series to sour Azhar Ali's first assignment as Pakistan's ODI captain.

Rubbing more salt into the wound, the hosts comprehensively won the subsequent one-off Twenty20 international and will be high on confidence in the Test series.

"Lowest point and very embarrassing to be honest," former captain Ramiz Raja told ESPNcricinfo after the team's fourth successive defeat on the tour.

He found the team's limited overs approach "a throwback to the 80's and 90's" and blamed the coaching staff, led by his former team mate Waqar Younis.

"I was hoping that the situation would improve but there is hardly any new direction given by the new coaching staff," said the cricketer-turned-commentator.

Raja was particularly disappointed with Saeed Ajmal who returned from a bowling ban because of an illegal action and managed only one wicket in three of the four matches, bleeding runs heavily.

"He is clearly a bit uneasy and uncomfortable, lacks confidence. It will be difficult for him to bowl at the level he was bowling for Pakistan a year back," Raja said.

Pakistan lost four players through injuries in the limited overs series and will expect Misbah and former captain Younus Khan to shore up their batting line-up.

Raja, however, reckoned Bangladesh would fancy finally beating Pakistan in a test after going down in all eight previous meetings.

"I think Bangladesh should be relentless as this a golden chance for them to create history," he said.

"The pressure is on Pakistan... It's going to be difficult as things can't change dramatically as the coaching staff is the same; most of the players are same.

"Pakistan have been hit by losses and injuries and it's going to be a real challenge."

The team continue to battle injuries with paceman Rahat Ali being ruled out of the test series after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Pakistan have decided against seeking a replacement as leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who missed the ODI series with a hand injury, has recovered and is available for selection for the first Test.

Dhaka hosts the second Test from May 6.