On the opening day of the second Test in Dhaka on Saturday, captain Babar Azam hit a fifty to help Pakistan make solid headway against Bangladesh until terrible light forced early stumps.
After the tea break, Pakistan, who decided to bat, were on 161-2, with Azam hitting an unbeaten 60 off 99 balls.
When play was halted, number three Azhar Ali was accompanying Azam on 36 not out. After Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam dismissed both openers in the morning session, the pair put on 91 runs in an unbroken third-wicket partnership. After rain momentarily interrupted the game, Azam led the batting onslaught with seven fours and a six, bringing up his 19th Test fifty.
Taijul had previously bowled Abdullah Shafique for 25 runs through the gate, ending a 59-run opening partnership, before Abid Ali sliced one onto his stumps after scoring 39 runs, including six boundaries.
If the third umpire had not given Azhar the benefit of the doubt, Taijul might have dismissed him as well.
Bangladesh challenged the on-field umpire’s not out verdict, but the result could not be changed since the ultra-edge showed an unclear contact of the ball to bat. Pakistan has a 1-0 lead in the two-match series after winning the first Test by eight wickets in Chittagong.
Bangladesh made three changes to their selection, with Mahmudul Hasan making his Test debut and Shakib Al Hasan and Khaled Ahmed joining the team after the first Test.
Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali, and Abu Jayed have been left out of the first Test.
