Tea Bangladesh 278 and 307 for 6 (Mushfiqur 90*, Litton 69, Taijul 8*, Shahzad 4-73) lead Pakistan 232 by 353 runs
Bangladesh made Pakistan toil on the third afternoon of the Sylhet Test, going to tea on 307 for 6, having stretched their lead by 353 runs. Pakistan picked up two wickets in the day’s middle session, but couldn’t dislodge Mushfiqur Rahim, who was unbeaten on 90 at the break, with Taijul Islam for company.Sylhet, mostly gloomy, livened up when Mushfiqur got into an argument with Pakistan captain Shan Masood, who also tried to engage Taijul in the discussions. Next ball, Taijul played a splendid pull shot off Khurram Shahzad, with one feet off the ground, to huge applause from the small crowd. Bangladesh won that round, as they have most of the Test so far.In the first over after lunch, Litton Das reached his half-century, making it the third occasion when he has scored a century and a half-century in the same Test. It is now the most for a Bangladesh wicketkeeper, as he went past Mushfiqur, who has done the hundred-and-fifty combination twice. Litton’s luck also continued when Sajid Khan dropped him on 58 off his own bowling.
Shortly after Mushfiqur reached his half-century, Litton fell when his uppercut off Hasan Ali found Saud Shakeel at fly slip. Shahzad returned to take his fourth wicket, clean-bowling Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 19.
Khurram Shahzad has been Pakistan’s best bowler•AFP/Getty Images
Mushfiqur opened up at this point, hammering Sajid down the ground, before picking up two fours off Shahzad a couple of overs later.
In the morning, Shahzad had started out by making life difficult for Najmul Hossain Shanto before getting him lbw with a delivery that nipped back in. Shanto struggled to reach 15, off 46 balls.
Bangladesh’s morning caution ended with the free-flowing Litton, who struck a couple of boundaries soon after getting in. But he was nearly run out when his mix-up with Mushfiqur left him stranded well short at the non-striker’s end. Babar Azam, however, missed with the direct hit. Litton was batting on 38 at that time.
Pakistan were bowled out for 232 on the second day, with Babar top-scoring with 68, and a late burst of four sixes from Sajid. Nahid Rana and Taijul Islam took three wickets each, before Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s quick half-century got the home side off to a good start in their second innings.
