Bangladesh pace duo Hasan Mahmud picked a fifer while Nahid Rana snared four as Pakistan were bowled out for just 174 in the post-Lunch period on Day 4 in Rawalpindi. Bangladesh, chasing just 185 for a historic 2-0 series win, made a brisk start through openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam to close out the second session. Just one over of play in the final session was possible before bad light and rain brought an early end to Day 4.
Pakistan began the second session with their backs to the wall already as they’d lost four wickets to pace in the morning period. Rana had forced poor decision making from three Pakistan batters – Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel – before Lunch that left them six down with Mohammad Rizwan having to mop up the mess.
First to go was the Pakistan captain Masood, who chased a length delivery outside the off-stump and nicked it behind to the keeper Litton Das. Babar’s woeful run in Tests since the start of 2023 extended to yet another innings as he fell for just 11. The former captain pushed a back of a length ball away from his body and was caught by Shadman Islam at first slip. Rizwan too found life difficult early on, and even copped a bouncer on his helmet. In the same over, Rana went round the stumps to the left-handed Saud Shakeel and got him to edge behind to Litton. Rizwan and Agha Salman rode out the last nine overs of the morning session.
The resistance from the pair lasted only for six and a half overs in the second session when Rizwan too was guilty of playing a poor shot, chasing after a ball from Mahmud that was pitched outside off and moving further away. Litton Das completed a simple catch behind. Mahmud sent Mohammad Ali packing on the very next ball, once again inducing an outside edge. This one flew to Najmul Hossain at second slip.
Pakistan were eight down and grey overheads began to loom. While Salman attempted to stretch the lead, Abrar Ahmed hung around for six overs before Rana came back to bounce out the tailender. Abrar attempted to back away but ended up poking at the rising delivery and hitting it to Najmul at first slip. No. 11 batter Mir Hamza stayed on while Salman pushed for quick runs, but that only went on for five more overs. Mahmud put an end to it with the wicket of Hamza, completing his fifer in the process.
Bangladesh openers then saw off a short period of play unscathed, until the Tea break. Zakir was the more proactive of the two batters, flicking and pulling Khurram Shahzad for two sixes. The pacer kept angling the ball into the left-hander from round the stumps and was repeatedly punished. When the Tea break came, Bangladesh were 37/0 in just 6 overs. They pushed it to 42/0 in the only over bowled after the break.
With majority of the final session lost on Day 4, Bangladesh now have three sessions on the final day to get the remaining 143 runs and secure the series sweep.
