Taijul's double-strike breaks gritty Pakistan resistance
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam stepped up with a brilliant double-strike to break a menacing partnership, pulling Bangladesh back into the driver's seat on the fourth morning of the second Test in Sylhet.
At the end of day four, Pakistan still needed 121 with only three wickets in hand.
The visitors, tasked with chasing a monumental, history-defying target of 437, recovered from early setbacks through a defiant stand before Taijul swung the momentum back to the hosts.
The foundation of Bangladesh''s total dominance was established on Day 3 by veteran maestro Mushfiqur Rahim. Mushfiqur played a majestic, record-breaking knock of 137 off 233 deliveries to anchor Bangladesh''s second innings to 390.
His 14th career Test ton pushed him past Mominul Haque to become the country's most prolific Test centurion, setting up a target well beyond any successful chase in the history of the format.
Despite losing quick wickets early on the fourth morning, Pakistan launched a spirited counter-attack. Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha forged a resilient, multi-over partnership that began to cause anxiety in the Bangladesh camp.
Saman looked exceptionally fluent, striking six boundaries and a six to reach 71 off just 102 balls, shifting the pressure back onto the home side''s bowlers.
With the game starting to drift, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto made a tactical gamble, handing the spinner the relatively new ball. The move paid immediate dividends in the 82nd over.
Taijul, having beat Salman with a sharp turn on the previous delivery, pushed a quicker arm-ball on a full length. Salman prodded forward to defend, but the ball skidded straight through the gap between bat and pad to shatter the stumps, ending the 134-run stand.
Taijul struck again just one over later to completely expose Pakistan's tail. He drew Hasan Ali (0) forward with a beautifully dipping delivery outside off-stump. Caught in two minds, Hasan pushed forward uncertainly, offering a thick shoulder-edge that Shanto safely gathered at first slip.
The rapid double-blow reduced Pakistan to 312-7, leaving Rizwan fighting a lone battle alongside the lower order. At the end of day four, they were standing at 316 for 7.