Mushfiqur Rahim scored the highest individual score by a Bangladesh batsman in Pakistan to help his team take the lead in the first Test in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

The 37-year-old remained unbeaten with 173 in his 11th Test century, defying the bowling attack of Mehidy Hasan Miraz as Bangladesh reached 495-6 at teatime.

The visitors are now 47 runs ahead of Pakistan’s first innings total of 448-6 and have an outside chance of recording their first victory over Pakistan.

Bangladesh have lost 12 of 13 Tests against Pakistan and drawn one.

Mushfiq surpassed the previous highest individual score of 119 by Javed Omar, achieved in Peshawar in 2003, and was lucky to get a life at 150 when Babar Azam dropped him at the leg slip of Salman Agha.

Mushfiq has so far hit 20 boundaries and a sixer in a marathon of eight hours and ten minutes, setting a Bangladeshi record of 163 along with Miraz for the unbroken seventh wicket in all of Test cricket.

The previous record of 145 was set by Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyadh against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2010.

The pitch in Rawalpindi continued to support the batting as Bangladesh lost only Liton Das (56) in the two sessions and Mushfiq acted as the anchor for the batting.

He added 114 for the sixth wicket with Liton to take Bangladesh ahead.

Before Liton’s dismissal, Pakistan thought Mushfiq had been hit leg-for-match by pace bowler Mohammad Ali, but umpire Richard Kettleborough’s decision was overturned after review when replay showed the ball had missed the leg stump.

Mushfiq, then on 59, hit two boundaries against Khurram Shahzad and Saim Ayub before reaching the three-figure mark.

With the score at 316-5, Bangladesh lost Liton in the ninth over of the day when Naseem Shah hit the edge with a short delivery and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan had an easy catch.

Liton added just four more to his overnight score of 52, hitting eight boundaries and a sixer.

For Pakistan, Shahzad (2-81) and Naseem (2-92) were the best bowlers.

The second and final test will also be played in Rawalpindi from August 30th.