Azan’s debut century and Bangladesh bowlers’ fightback mark first session

 

The opening Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium has been unfolding like a shifting tide, with each session swinging momentum like a pendulum.

Day 3 began with Pakistan in command, resuming at 179 for 1, their openers having laid a strong foundation the previous evening. Among them stood Azan Awais, calm and unshaken on 85 overnight, carrying the weight of a debut Test innings that already showed maturity beyond his experience.

The morning light in Mirpur brought expectation—and pressure. Bangladesh searched for early breakthroughs, but Azan refused to yield. He batted with a measured stillness, respecting good deliveries and punishing anything loose. 

As the overs ticked by, so did his confidence, until finally, in the 51st over, he brought up a memorable milestone—his maiden Test century on debut—nudging a single off Nahid Rana. In doing so, he etched his name among a select group of Pakistan batters to achieve the feat, and even more rarely, as one of the few to do it away from home.

But Test cricket rarely offers comfort for long.

Bangladesh’s persistence soon paid off when Taskin Ahmed found just enough movement and bounce on a short-of-a-length delivery. Azan, chasing another scoring opportunity, edged behind. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto held on at slip, and a superb innings of 103 from 165 balls came to an end—an innings built on patience, elegance, and control.

From there, the session tightened like a vice.

Pakistan’s skipper Shan Masood arrived with hope, but Taskin struck again almost immediately, producing a sharp dismissal as Pakistan’s rhythm began to fracture. The momentum shifted further when Mehidy Hasan Miraz entered the contest, trapping Saud Shakeel lbw as the middle order began to unravel.

The resistance briefly flickered through Abdullah Fazal, who compiled a composed 60 off 120 balls, holding the innings together while others fell around him. But even that resistance could not hold indefinitely. Miraz eventually broke through, removing him and deepening Pakistan’s slide.

By lunch, Pakistan collapsed to 251 for 5 from a position of dominance, losing control in a session that belonged firmly to Bangladesh.

What had started as Pakistan’s morning of consolidation turned into Bangladesh’s resurgence. Taskin’s disciplined spell, supported by Mehidy’s control and intelligence, transformed the tone of the match. The green-tinged surface that had troubled Bangladesh on day two now offered them reward, as their bowlers rediscovered rhythm and intent.