Left-handers Saud Shakeel and Saim Ayub staged a strong comeback for Pakistan, each scoring determined half-centuries on the rain-disrupted first day of the opening Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.
At the close, Shakeel remained unbeaten on 57, while Ayub, who struck four boundaries and a six, registered his maiden Test fifty with a score of 56. The duo’s crucial 98-run partnership for the fourth wicket helped Pakistan recover from a precarious 16-3. However, Ayub fell late in the day, edging a drive off Hasan Mahmud to third slip.
Earlier, the new-ball pair of Shariful Islam (2-30) and Hasan Mahmud (2-33) rattled Pakistan’s top order, exploiting a greenish pitch after a delayed start of nearly four hours due to a wet outfield. Shoriful claimed the key wickets of skipper Shan Masood for six and star batter Babar Azam for a two-ball duck, leaving Pakistan in early trouble.
Shakeel reached a personal milestone during the innings, crossing 1,000 Test runs in his 11th match as he compiled his seventh Test half-century, featuring five boundaries. He later forged a 44-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan, who was not out on 24 at stumps.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to field first after winning the toss, and his bowlers soon justified the decision by reducing Pakistan to 81-3 at tea. Despite Pakistan’s late recovery, Mahmud remained hopeful of an early breakthrough on the second day, emphasizing the importance of consistent line and length on the challenging surface.
In the larger context, the two-match series is part of the World Test Championship, with Pakistan currently positioned sixth and Bangladesh eighth in the standings.
Virat Kholi’s Big Win
The CEAT Cricket Rating Awards took place on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, in Mumbai, where Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was honored as the Men’s International Cricketer of the Year. The prestigious event also celebrated the achievements of Rahul Dravid, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Virat Kohli was recognized as the Men’s ODI Batter of the Year, while Mohammed Shami took home the award for Men’s Test Bowler of the Year. In addition, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah was acknowledged for his excellence in sports administration. Upon receiving his award, Shah expressed confidence in India’s future triumphs, stating, “As I mentioned in Rajkot, we raised our flag in Barbados, and our captain delivered. With the support of 1.4 billion people, we can achieve the same in the Champions Trophy, World Test Championship final, and the Women’s T20 World Cup.”
Tamil Nadu’s R Sai Kishore was named Domestic Cricketer of the Year for his pivotal role in leading his team to the Ranji Trophy final last season. Among the international accolades, New Zealand’s Tim Southee was awarded Men’s T20I Bowler of the Year, while England’s Phil Salt was named Best T20I Batter of the Year.
