Mominul, Shanto wrest momentum back from Pakistan
Bangladesh recovered strongly from an uncertain start to reach 101 for two at Lunch on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Mirpur on Friday, with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque leading the fightback through an unbroken 70-run stand.
After Pakistan chose to bowl first on a grassy surface, the visitors struck twice early through Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali to leave Bangladesh reeling at 31 for two inside 11 overs.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. However, Shanto and Mominul absorbed the pressure before gradually shifting momentum with positive strokeplay against both pace and spin.
The hosts crossed the 50-run mark in the 17th over before the third-wicket partnership reached fifty in just 70 deliveries.
Mominul remained unbeaten on 31 off 57 deliveries, striking four boundaries, while Shanto looked increasingly fluent during his 39 not out off 50 balls, which included four fours and a six.
Earlier, Bangladesh lost Mahmudul Hasan Joy for eight when Shaheen drew a faint edge behind with a delivery angled across the right-hander. Hasan Ali then struck in his first over, removing Shadman Islam for 13 after inducing an outside edge to the slips.
Despite the early movement on offer, Bangladesh will head into the second session encouraged by the manner in which Shanto and Mominul steadied the innings.
Bangladesh grinding through difficult opening session
Bangladesh endured a testing opening session after Pakistan opted to bowl first in Mirpur, reaching 38 for two at the drinks break after 13 overs on the opening day of the first Test on Friday.
Pakistan’s seamers made immediate use of the conditions, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Abbas keeping the batters under constant pressure through disciplined lines and movement off the surface at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Mahmudul Hasan Joy looked compact early on, striking two boundaries in his 19-ball eight before Afridi induced a faint edge with an outswinger angled across the right-hander, and Mohammad Rizwan completed the catch behind the stumps in the seventh over.
Shadman Islam then attempted to weather the pressure alongside Mominul Haque, but Hasan Ali struck in his very first delivery. The seamer extracted slight movement away from a short-of-a-length delivery, drawing an outside edge that Salman Ali Agha accepted safely in the slips as the hosts slipped to 31 for two.
At the first drinks interval, Mominul was unbeaten on six while skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was on three.
Bangladesh asked to bat as Pakistan field two debutants
Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and opted to bowl first against hosts Bangladesh in the opening Test of the two-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, are banking on their pace attack on a greenish surface, with Nahid Rana, returning Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain included in the XI alongside the spin duo of Taijul Islam and Mehidy Miraz.
Pakistan handed debuts to batters Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal as they fielded a strong pace unit led by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hassan Ali.
Bangladesh XI: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Ebadot Hossain.
Pakistan XI: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Fazal, Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Noman Ali, Hassan Ali, Mohammad Abbas.
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