Pakistan stumble as Bangladesh grab 5 crucial wickets before lunch

A string of wickets before lunch will have Bangladesh hoping for a triumphant final day against Pakistan in the Rawalpindi Test.

At the end of 36 overs, Pakistan stood at 108-6, trailing Bangladesh’s first innings score by 9 runs.

The second over of the fifth day saw young pacer Hasan Mahmud (1-20) pick up the wicket of Shan Masood (14) with a review as a nick from the outside edge of the bat was gobbled up by wicketkeeper Litton Das.

Babar Azam (22) and Abdullah Shafique (37) attempted to steady the Pakistan innings, but Mahmud’s pace partner Nahid Rana (1-30) scalped Babar when he chopped on a delivery outside off onto his stumps.

He was followed soon afterwards by Saud Shakeel (0), who danced down the track only to miss the delivery by Shakib Al Hasan (2-24) completely. Litton made no mistake in dispatching the bails before he could recover.

First innings hero Mohammad Rizwan (22*) then came to the crease and looked confident from early on, racking up three back-to-back boundaries against Rana before dashing off two more against Shakib.

Still, Shakib got his own back when Shafique skied a flighted delivery comfortably into the hands of Shadman Islam.

Shadman nabbed a much more difficult one-handed at slip to dismiss Agha Salman for a golden duck and let Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1-5) in on the action.

The Tigers will be hoping to wrap up Pakistan quickly after lunch and deliver a last-gasp win on the final day.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first, but the bowling attack made little headway against Shakeel (141) and Rizwan (171*). Pakistan declared at 448-6.

A magnificent effort from Mushfiqur Rahim (191) then saw the Tigers soar to 565 in their first innings.