SYLHET: Pakistan continued batting in their second innings of the Sylhet Test against Bangladesh, reaching 208 for 5 while chasing a challenging target of 437 runs for victory.
At the close of the latest session, Pakistan still required 229 more runs to win the match with five wickets remaining.
The fourth day of the Test began with Pakistani openers Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal at the crease. However, Bangladesh struck early when Abdullah Fazal was dismissed for just 6 runs with the team score at 27. Fast bowler Nahid Rana provided the breakthrough for the hosts.
Soon after, Azan Awais also returned to the pavilion after scoring 21 runs, leaving Pakistan struggling at 41 runs for the loss of two wickets.
Following the early setbacks, former captain Babar Azam and skipper Shan Masood steadied the innings with a valuable partnership that revived Pakistan’s hopes in the difficult run chase.
Babar Azam played an aggressive knock of 47 runs off 52 balls before being dismissed by spinner Taijul Islam. His innings included several well-timed boundaries and helped Pakistan recover from the early pressure.
Captain Shan Masood continued to anchor the innings and scored 71 runs before getting out after playing a responsible and composed innings under challenging circumstances.
Despite the fall of wickets, Pakistan remained in the contest thanks to crucial middle-order contributions as the team continued its pursuit of the massive target.
Earlier in the match, Bangladesh posted 278 runs in their first innings. In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 232 runs, conceding a first-innings deficit of 46 runs.
Bangladesh then strengthened their position in the Test by scoring 390 runs in their second innings. With the added advantage of the first-innings lead, the hosts set Pakistan a difficult target of 437 runs to win the match.
The Sylhet pitch has offered assistance to both pacers and spinners throughout the game, making batting increasingly difficult as the match has progressed.
Bangladesh’s bowlers, particularly the spin attack, have maintained pressure on the Pakistani batting lineup, while Pakistan’s batters have attempted to balance caution with scoring opportunities.
Cricket analysts say chasing more than 400 runs in the fourth innings of a Test match remains one of the toughest challenges in international cricket, especially on subcontinental pitches where spin bowling becomes more effective later in the match.
Pakistan now depends heavily on its remaining batters to produce a strong partnership if it hopes to achieve a memorable victory.
The match remains finely poised heading into the next session, with Bangladesh aiming to take the remaining wickets while Pakistan continues its fight to complete the challenging chase.
Fans from both countries are closely following the contest as the Test heads toward an exciting finish in Sylhet.
