Azhar Ali and Younis Khan piled on runs in a superb third wicket partnership to take Pakistan to a commanding position against Bangladesh on the opening day of the second and last Test in Mirpur.
Bangladesh bowlers toiled and the fielders let a number of chances go begging as the tourists racked up 323 for three at stumps at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.
Azhar (127 not out) and Younis (148) used the slip-ups to the full, carving out a big 250-run stand with some aggressive batting.
Only pacer Mohammad Shahid bowled with discipline and extracted movement and bounce from the grassy Mirpur track.
But it was the Azhar and Younis who made it Pakistan’s day.
The duo soaked up the early pressure after Pakistan were reduced to 58 for two in the first session.
Bangladesh faced early setbacks when pacer Shahadat Hossain slumped to the ground during his follow up in the first over of the day.
Captain Mushfiqur Rahim had opted to field first with hopes of getting assistance from the pitch.
The pacer was later stretchered off the field after he came out to bowl in the practice wickets during lunch and took another tumble.
Azhar found the middle of the bat in a crisp drive through mid-on before greeting left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who bagged six wickets in the first match, with two consecutive boundaries in his first over.
Azhar got a life at 18, as he had edged Shahid to the third slip but replays showed the bowler overstepped marginally.
Mominul Haque added to Bangladesh’s woes putting down two difficult chances off Azhar, at silly point and short leg.
Mohammad Hafeez who made a double century in the drawn opening Test but edged Shahid behind for just eight. Bangladesh then checked the flow of runs.
Taijul forced other opener Sami Aslam (19) to leap out of the crease and whip the ball in the air.
Shahadat, who was back on the field after his first tumble, caught it safely as the teams went for lunch with Pakistan on 70 for two.
Younis took the initiative after the break, launching Taijul Islam over long-on for the first six of the innings before creaming Shakib Al Hasan for four boundaries in two overs as Pakistan reached 100 in the 40th over.
Southpaw Shakib once again could not live up to his billing conceding 68 off 14 overs without a wicket.
The pair steadily rotated strikes as Younis went down to play several powerful sweeps to reach his half-century off 72 balls after Azhar hit his fifty.
Azhar then eased up and started plundering runs down the ground like Younis as Pakistan scored 126 runs in the second session at over four runs per over.
Soumya Sarkar added insult to injury after tea when replays showed he had overstepped before Younis sent a catch to Shakib at cover on 85.
Both the batsmen kept their calm and milked the runs off seamers and spinners alike as Younis slapped Sarkar towards sweeper cover for two runs and brought up his 29th Test century off 142 balls.
Soon after Azhar made room and lifted Taijul over the top for a boundary to reach his eighth century in style, off 212 balls.
Azhar drove Sarkar straight to bring up Pakistan’s 300 in the 82nd over.
After the hosts took the second new ball, Mushfiq seemed to be low on ideas as he called up opener Imrul Kayes to bowl an over.
But he stuck with his most successful bowler of the day, Shahid, and was rewarded five overs before the stumps.
Younis sliced one outside the off-stump sending a catch straight to Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury in the gully.
He fell two runs short of 150 and cracked 11 boundaries and three sixes in his 195-ball innings.
Shahid returned 2 for 43 in 21 overs.
Source: Bd news24