Pakistan’s poor fielding helped Bangladesh gain the ascendancy on day one of the first Test. PHOTO: AFP
However, Mominul Haque’s dismissal off the last delivery of the day meant that the visitors ended the day on a high. Mominul was all set to score his fifth Test ton but Zulfiqar Babar got through his back-foot defence to hit him plumb in front of the stumps. The hosts wasted a review in a futile effort to save the in-form batsman but hawk-eye showed the ball was crashing halfway up middle-stump.
Zulfiqar had earlier dropped Mominul on 17 off his own bowling and the 23-year-old grabbed the opportunity with both hands, making 63 more runs before being dismissed on 80 off 162 balls.
The left-hander has now scored 1,278 runs in just 13 Tests and boasts an exceptional average of 63.90 with four centuries and eight fifties.
The batsman realised how vital his wicket may prove in the Test. “I think we are in a good position but if I had not gotten out we would have been on top," said Mominul after the day's play. "Surviving here is easy, but scoring runs is difficult."
Pakistan, on the other hand, are relieved to see the back of the promising youngster. "Obviously after picking Mominul's wicket we are happy," said Azhar. "It has raised the team's spirits and hopefully we can dismiss the remaining batsmen early tomorrow."
Shakib alHasan was unbeaten on 19 at the other end and will likely be joined by skipper Mushfiqur Rahim at the start of day two.
Earlier, Bangladesh had won the toss and decided to bat first. Openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes survived the new ball with the help of a few dropped chances to provide a 52-run opening stand.
Tamim, who scored an uncharacteristically slow 74-ball 24, was removed by leg-spinner Yasir Shah as Azhar Ali took a sharp catch at short-leg. However, the leg-spinner almost made the unforgivable mistake for a spinner of overstepping but the third umpire gave the benefit of the doubt to Yasir to send Tamim on his way.
Tamim was dropped by Muhammad Hafeez off Zulfiqar when Bangladesh were 33 for no loss in the 20th over.
Kayes also lived dangerously as Yasir misjudged a catch at long-on off Zulfiqar. The number of missed chances continued to grow as a half chance went down in the 29th over off Yasir when Azhar failed to grab the ball with Kayes on 30.
Kayes soon reached his 50 but was dismissed by Hafeez on the very next ball, having made 51 off 130 balls, to leave the hosts 92-2.
Mahmudullah and Mominul then put on an important 95-run stand to hand Bangladesh the advantage before Mahmudullah fell on 49, Sarfraz Ahmed taking a smart catch low to his right that was just dying on him off Wahab Riaz’s bowling.
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