RAWALPINDI: Veteran batsman Mushifqur Rahim scored a marathon 191 on Saturday to help Bangladesh post a record score and give the visitors an outside chance of their first Test win against Pakistan here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.
The 37-year-old’s superb performance with the bat, which resulted in a number of records, enabled Bangladesh to post a massive total average of 565 in the first innings on the fourth day of the Test and establish a crucial lead of 117 points against the hosts, who had posted a total average of 448-6.
Bangladesh’s previous best Test score against Pakistan was 555-6, achieved in Khulna in 2015.
In the end, Pakistan reached 23 runs for 1 in the second innings and were still 94 runs behind, with opener Abdullah Shafique (12) and captain Shan Masood (nine) at bat. Opener Saim Ayub (one) was taken out cheaply when the left-hander hit a long ball from fast bowler Shoriful Islam to wicket-keeper Litton Das in the third over of the innings.
Bangladesh have lost 12 of their 13 Tests against Pakistan, with one being drawn, and will be hoping their spinners can gain some momentum on a pitch that has so far offered little support to the bowlers.
Mushfiqur came to bat fifth on Friday and had an overnight score of 55 as Bangladesh began the day at 316 for five.
On a hot day, the diminutive batsman from Bogra showed controlled aggression and solid defence and hit some outstanding shots in his epic win in which he faced 341 balls.
The veteran Bangladeshi batsman with 88 Tests under his belt entertained a better crowd on Saturday, perhaps due to free entry and the holiday, hitting 22 fours and a six during a marathon stay of eight hours and 42 minutes.
He surpassed the previous highest individual Test score by a Bangladeshi batsman in Pakistan – that of Javed Omar, who scored 119 in Peshawar in 2003.
Mushfiqur also had some luck and got a life on 150 when Babar Azam dropped him at leg slip off spinner Salman.
Pakistan players also considered that Ali Mushfiqur had scored from leg-fore in the 59th minute, but umpire Richard Kettleborough’s original decision was overturned after review when the replay showed that the ball had passed leg stump.
Mushfiqur then hit two boundaries against Khurram Shahzad and Saim before reaching his 11th Test century.
Mushfiqur first scored 114 runs for the sixth wicket while Litton (56) could only add four runs to his overnight score before being caught by wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan off pacer Naseem Shah. The wicket-keeper/batter then combined with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (77) to put on a record 196 runs for the seventh wicket.
Mushfiqur and Mehidy not only helped the visitors surpass Pakistan’s total but also surpassed the previous record of 186 goals set by New Zealanders Warren Lees and Richard Hadlee in Karachi in 1976.
Fast bowler Mohammad Ali edged Mushfiqur to prevent a double hundred, which was collected by Rizwan.
Mehidy praised Mushfiqur’s brilliant knock.
“Mushfiqur played a great knock,” said Mehidy, hoping Bangladesh can pull off a win. “The first hour tomorrow will definitely be important and if we get wickets early, we have a good chance.”
The 26-year-old Mehidy, who was dismissed on 52 and 59, was the ninth batsman to depart after scoring 77 from 179 balls, including six fours. He fell victim to fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was celebrating the birth of his first child and took 2-88 from 30 overs.
Later, Shoriful Islam’s 22 off 14 buoyed the entertained Bangladesh crowd before the innings was finally ended by Naseem.
Naseem was the most successful of the four-pacer attack with 3-93 from 27.3 overs, while Shaheen, Ali and Khurram took two wickets each and Saim claimed one.
Naseem, 21, admitted that the pitch did not help the pacers as expected.
“We haven’t gotten as much help from the pitch as we expected,” said the right-hander. “We’ve gotten so many wickets, so we have to think about how we can get the home advantage.”
Pakistan’s assistant coach Azhar Mahmood shared this view.
“We didn’t expect the wicket to be so slow,” Azhar told broadcasters. “It was a hot day but credit goes to our bowlers who went hard and gave their best.”
Salman Ali Agha conceded 41 overs and remained wicketless, but he can consider himself unlucky as he missed two catches while bowling.
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN (1st innings) 448-6 declared (Mohammad Rizwan 171 not out, Saud Shakeel 141, Saim Ayub 56; Shoriful Islam 2-77, Hasan Mahmud 2-70)
BANGLADESH (1st innings, night 316-5):
Shadman Islam b Ali 93
Zakir Hasan vs Rizwan vs Naseem 12
Najmul Hossain b Khurram 16
Mominul Haque b Khurram 50
Mushfiqur Rahim c Rizwan b Ali 191
Shakib Al Hasan c Shan b Saim 15
Litton Das c Rizwan b Naseem 56
Mehidy Hasan c Salman b Shaheen 77
Hasan Mahmud vs Rizwan vs Shaheen 0
Shoriful Islam c Abdullah b Naseem 22
Nahid Rana not eliminated 1
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT (B-2, LB-25, NB-3, W-2) 32
TOTAL (all out, 167.3 overs) 565
CASE OF WICKETS: 1-31 (Hasan), 2-53 (Najmul), 3-147 (Mominul), 4-199 (Shadman), 5-218 (Shakib), 6-332 (Litton), 7-528 ( Mushfiqur), 8-534 (Hasan), 9-557 (Mehidy)
BOWLING: Shaheen 30-3-88-2; Naseem 27.3-6-93-3 (1w, 1nb); Khurram 29-3-90-2 (1nb); Ali 31-4-88-2 (1w, 1nb); Salman 41-3-136-0; Saim 7-1-34-1; Saud 2-0-9-0
PAKISTAN (2nd innings):
Abdullah Shafique not eliminated 12
Saim Ayub c Litton b Shoriful 1
Shan Masood not from 9
EXTRAS (LB-1) 1
TOTAL (for one wicket, 10 overs) 23
FALL OF WICKET: 1-5 (Saim)
STILL TO BEAT: Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali
BOWLING: Shoriful 5-2-13-1; Hasan 5-2-9-0
Published in Dawn, 25 August 2024
