Pakistan drop catches, Mominul Haque drops anchor to steer Bangladesh to 236/4 on Day 1
Mominul Haque steered Bangladesh to 236-4 against Pakistan, hitting a well-composed 80 before falling at the end of the first day of the opening test on Tuesday.
Haque, who struck eight fours in his 162 ball-knock, joined Sachin Tendulkar and England’s John Edrich in scoring a half-century in 10 successive Tests. AB de Villiers holds the record of 12 straight Tests.
Opener Imrul Kayes contributed 51, and Mahmudullah 49 to help Bangladesh recover from a cautious start on a placid pitch against controlled Pakistan bowling.
Shakib Al Hasan was 19 not out when Haque was caught plumb leg before off a magnificent delivery by left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar off the scheduled penultimate ball of the day, and the umpires promptly drew stumps.
All four wickets were shared on a day when Pakistan dropped a loads of chances but bowled with discipline to keep the run-rate down.
Bangladesh predictably elected to bat first on a favorable surface, but struggled against good line-and-length bowling.
Kayes and Tamim Iqbal shared a watchful 52 runs in a 27-over opening stand, Bangladesh’s highest opening stand against Pakistan.
The visitors generated some genuine chances but rued dropped catches at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.
Kayes offered an easy catch off left-arm spinner Zulfiqar, but Yasir Shah failed to take the catch and the ball eventually crossed the boundary rope for a four.
Tamim was on 16 when he edged a seemingly simple catch to backward short leg, which Mohammad Hafeez failed to grip.
Shah broke up the partnership just before lunch, Tamim going to a smart diving catch by Azhar Ali at short leg. Tamim, who hit two centuries in the ODI series, took 74 balls to score 25, including three boundaries.
Bangladesh paced the innings better after lunch, with Kayes and Haque playing some confident shots around the wicket.
After Kayes reached his second Test half-century, Hafeez dismissed him for his first wicket with his remodeled action.
Kayes hit six fours in his 51 off 130 balls, and was the only wicket to fall in the middle session.
Haque and Mahmudullah kept up the rhythm, foiling the relentless Pakistan attack. They added 97 for the third wicket.
The fielders did not help their bowlers’ cause by being sloppy in ground fielding.
Fast bowler Wahab Riaz produced a beauty to dismiss Mahmudullah when his partnership with Haque looked threatening. Gloveman Sarfraz Ahmed was also excellent in taking the catch with one hand, flying to his right when Riaz induced the edge to make it 187-3.
As another partnership between Haque and Shakib was at 49 and getting stronger, Pakistan inflicted a blow to the hosts when Zulfiqar removed Haque with a straighter ball.
Zulfiqar, Riaz, Hafeez, and Shah took one wicket apiece.
