Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel impressed with centuries as Pakistan declared at 448-6 against Bangladesh in their opening Test match in Rawalpindi. Rizwan remained unbeaten on 171, while Shakeel scored 141 before getting dismissed. The tourists were trailing by 421 runs at the end of the second day, with Bangladesh at 27 for no loss by stumps.
Bangladesh’s batting coach David Hemp expressed hope that their batters would match up to their opponents and get closer to Pakistan’s total. The pitch was favorable for batting, according to Hemp, and they needed to perform well to level up the game against Pakistan.
The hosts had a strong opening day, with Rizwan and Shakeel starting the day with a 240-run partnership. Rizwan reached his half-century and eventually his third Test century, while Shakeel also achieved his third ton in the longest format. Agha Salman and Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed useful knocks lower down the order to swell the total.
Shakeel mentioned that it was too early to judge the pitch, stating that the ball was moving early on the previous day. He mentioned that Bangladesh’s bowlers could have had more success if they pitched it up instead of bowling short of length. The final verdict on the pitch would be after the bowlers had a chance to bowl on it on the following day.
Overall, Pakistan dominated the second day of the Test match with strong performances from Rizwan and Shakeel, putting them in a commanding position against Bangladesh. The tourists would need to step up their game to match their opponents and try to close the gap in the scoreline. It will be interesting to see how the match unfolds in the upcoming days as both teams battle it out on the pitch.
