Pakistan were dismissed for 232 runs in their first innings on the second day of the ongoing Test match against Bangladesh in Sylhet, handing the hosts a valuable first-innings lead of 46 runs.
After Bangladesh had posted 278 runs in their first innings on the opening day, Pakistan resumed batting on day two at 21 without loss. However, the visitors struggled to build strong partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals throughout the innings.
Pakistan’s opening pair failed to provide a solid start as both batters departed early in the day. Azan Awais scored 13 runs before being dismissed, while Abdullah Fazal managed only 9 runs.
Captain Shan Masood also failed to convert his start into a big innings and returned to the pavilion after scoring 21 runs.
Former captain Babar Azam was the standout performer for Pakistan, playing a composed knock of 68 runs and attempting to stabilize the innings amid frequent wickets. However, he lacked substantial support from the middle order.
Saud Shakeel scored 8 runs, while Agha Salman contributed 21 runs. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan added 13 runs before getting out.
In the lower order, Hasan Ali made 18 runs, while Sajid Khan played a fighting innings of 38 runs to reduce the deficit. Khurram Shehzad scored 10 runs, whereas Mohammad Abbas failed to open his account.
Pakistan’s innings eventually ended at 232, leaving Bangladesh with a first-innings advantage of 46 runs.
Bangladesh’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings and successfully prevented Pakistan from taking control of the match. Their disciplined bowling and timely breakthroughs allowed the hosts to secure an important lead.
Earlier, on the first day of the Test match, Bangladesh were bowled out for 278 runs in their first innings. Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das played a brilliant innings of 126 runs and was the key contributor for the home side.
His century helped Bangladesh recover from a difficult position and post a competitive total on the board.
The Sylhet Test remains evenly poised, but Bangladesh currently hold the advantage with a first-innings lead and the opportunity to build pressure on Pakistan in the remaining stages of the match.
Pakistan will now look to make early breakthroughs in Bangladesh’s second innings to stay competitive and avoid allowing the hosts to build a large target.
The performance of Pakistan’s batting lineup once again raised concerns, particularly regarding the inability of top-order batters to build long partnerships despite favorable conditions at times.
Cricket analysts believe Pakistan will need a much stronger bowling effort in the second innings if they hope to regain momentum in the Test.
The match is part of an important series for both teams as they seek valuable points in the World Test Championship standings and aim to strengthen their positions in international Test cricket.
