Litton fights for Bangladesh after Abbas and Shahzad run through middle order

Tea Bangladesh 168 for 6 (Litton 42*, Taijul 11*, Abbas 3-26, Shahzad 3-47) vs Pakistan

Mohammad Abbas. Khurram Shahzad put Pakistan firmly in the ascendancy in the Sylhet Test, running through Bangladesh 's batting line-up in both sessions so far. With three wickets apiece. the pair built on the momentum created in the morning session, suffocating Bangladesh in the early stages post-lunch before striking three more times to burrow in the tail. But Bangladesh's last recognised batter. Litton Das, found a way to frustrate Pakistan in the final hour before tea, shielding Taijul Islam from the strike in an as-yet-unbroken partnership that has crossed 50.

The rewards in the middle session fell to Pakistan thanks to unerring discipline and relentless accuracy. The first seven overs produced only four runs as Abbas. Sajid Khan kept Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim on a leash. And then, all of a sudden, the dam burst. Abbas drew Shanto into a prod. with the ball shaping away as it took the edge, with Mohammad Rizwan completing a splendid diving catch to his left.

When Abbas was given a break, Shahzad picked up the baton seamlessly. The fourth ball of his spell wobbled. held its line to beat Mushfiqur's bat on the inside before catching him on the pads in front of the stumps. He then surprised Mehidy Hasan Miraz with a bouncer in the following over. an unconvincing hook finding Hasan Ali, who completed a sharp catch at fine leg to leave the hosts reeling at 116 for 6. But for Litton. his stubborn resistance, Pakistan might have fancied bowling Bangladesh out before tea, but now must regroup to keep a burgeoning partnership from robbing momentum away from them.

This bowling performance was exactly what Shan Masood would have wished for after winning the toss. putting Bangladesh in - like in the first Test - this morning. Under dark clouds in Sylhet that threatened but did not strike, Bangladesh. Pakistan battled through the opening session of the second Test, finishing it with honours even.

It was a session marred slightly for Pakistan when Hasan. in his attempt to take a catch off his own bowling, struck the side of his head on the turf. After a period of looking dazed, he was stretchered off the field. Though happily for Pakistan it appeared only precautionary. Before the end of the session, he had returned, and was well enough to resume bowling.

But Pakistan had got off to the dream start before that. Off just the second delivery. Abbas drew an edge from Mahmudul Hasan Joy that Salman Agha clung on to sharply in the slips. But debutant Tanzid Hasan. Mominul Haque responded with a positive second-wicket stand that inched its way towards 50 inside the first ten overs. Tanzid, in particular, looked promising, especially driving through the off side, where all three of his boundaries came.

But Abbas found a way to remove him when. in a curious moment of misjudgement, Tanzid tried to jab the bowler through the on side, only to find a top edge that the bowler got underneath. Before long. Pakistan were rampant as Shahzad, in for Shaheen Shah Afridi, found a touch of movement to spell the end of Mominul with Bangladesh in trouble at 63 for 3.

It was thanks to the experienced pair of captain Shanto and Mushfiqur that they dug their way out. The two found that critical balance between runs-coring. caution that kept Pakistan at bay, playing offspinner Sajid especially well as they closed in on lunch. What Pakistan in the hour that followed, however, laid waste to much of that promising hard work.