Pak vs Ban: Day four called off with Bangladesh 42-0 in chase of 185 to win second Test

RAWALPINDI: Bangladesh were 42 without loss after the tea in their chase of 185 to win the second Test as the play of the fourth day has been called off due to bad light and rain in Rawalpindi on Monday.

Bangla Tigers started their innings in the second session today after pace bowlers Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana shared nine wickets to demolish Pakistan in Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Hasan finished with 5-43 while Nahid grabbed 4-44 — both career-best figures — to dismiss Pakistan for 172 in their second innings, giving the visitors a sniff of a 2-0 series win.

Bangladesh leads the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test, also in Rawalpindi, last week.

At the early end of day four, openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam were at the crease with 31 and 9 respectively, reducing the target to 143 with a full day’s play left.

Pakistan had been 117-6 at lunch with Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha fighting to save the hosts’ blushes before Hasan ended their 55-run stand with two quick wickets.

He had Rizwan caught behind for 43 and the next ball had Mohammad Ali caught in the slip to leave Pakistan at 136-8.

Salman, who top-scored with 47, added 27 for the last wicket with Mir Hamza (4) before Hasan wrapped up the innings with his fifth wicket, getting Hamza caught in the slip.

The morning session belonged to 21-year-old Nahid, who dismissed Shan Masood (28), Babar Azam (11), and Saud Shakeel (4) in a spell of express bowling.

The rain-affected Test saw Friday’s first day’s play washed out and witnessed a remarkable third-day fightback by Bangladesh.

The visitors were 26-6 in reply to Pakistan’s first-innings 274 before Litton Das (138) put together a seventh-wicket partnership of 165 with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78) that enabled Bangladesh to reach 262.

Pakistan took their overnight score of 9-2 to 47-2 in 10 overs on Monday before Bangladesh broke through with a spell of three wickets for 18 runs.

Saim Ayub fell for 20 to a brilliant catch by Najmul Hossain at mid-off as the opener failed to keep down a drive off fast bowler Taskin Ahmed.

Nahid then had Pakistan skipper Masood caught behind by Das off a wild shot before getting the prized wicket of Azam, who was caught at slip by Shadman Islam off a sharp delivery in his next over.

Nahid could have had another next ball, but Shadman dropped Mohammad Rizwan.

However, he grabbed his third by dismissing Shakeel, also caught behind by Das, and went to lunch with figures of 3-22 off five overs.