Bangladesh 37-0 at tea in chase of 185 against Pakistan

Bangladesh were 37 without loss at tea in their chase of 185 to win the second Test after pace bowlers Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana shared nine wickets to demolish Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Monday.

Hasan finished with 5-43 while Nahid grabbed 4-44 -- both career-best figures -- to dismiss Pakistan for 172 in their second innings, giving the visitors a sniff of a 2-0 series win.

Bangladesh lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test, also in Rawalpindi, last week.

At the break, openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam were at the crease with 27 and eight respectively, reducing the target to 148 with a session and a full day’s play left.

Pakistan had been 117-6 at lunch with Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha fighting to save the hosts’ blushes, before Hasan ended their 55-run stand with two quick wickets.

He had Rizwan caught behind for 43 and next ball had Mohammad Ali caught in the slip to leave Pakistan at 136-8.

Salman, who top-scored with 47, added 27 for the last wicket with Mir Hamza (four) before Hasan wrapped up the innings with his fifth wicket, getting Hamza caught in the slip.

The morning session belonged to 21-year-old Nahid, who dismissed Shan Masood (28), Babar Azam (11) and Saud Shakeel (two) in a spell of express bowling.

The rain-affected Test saw Friday’s first day’s play washed out and witnessed a remarkable third-day fightback by Bangladesh.

The visitors were 26-6 in reply to Pakistan’s first-innings 274 before Litton Das (138) put together a seventh-wicket partnership of 165 with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78) that enabled Bangladesh to reach 262.

Pakistan took their overnight score of 9-2 to 47-2 in 10 overs on Monday before Bangladesh broke through with a spell of three wickets for 18 runs.

Saim Ayub fell for 20 to a brilliant catch by Najmul Hossain at mid-off as the opener failed to keep down a drive off fast bowler Taskin Ahmed.

Nahid then had Pakistan skipper Masood caught behind by Litton off a wild shot before getting the prized wicket of Azam, caught at slip off a sharp delivery in his next over.

Nahid grabbed his third by dismissing Shakeel and went to lunch with figures of 3-22 off five overs.