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Pakistan showcased resilience on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh, recovering from early setbacks thanks to the efforts of Saud Shakeel and Saim Ayub. The match, taking place in Rawalpindi, saw Pakistan initially struggle at 16 for 3 before the duo led a spirited comeback.
Early struggles for Pakistan
Bangladesh’s right-arm paceman Hasan Mahmud made an immediate impact after winning the toss and opting to bowl first, taking the wicket of Abdullah Shafique in his second over. The situation for Pakistan worsened when left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam struck twice in quick succession. He first dismissed the home team’s captain Shan Masood for just six runs and then sent star batter Babar Azam back to the pavilion for a duck.
Recovery led by Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel
Despite the early wickets, Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel steadied Pakistan’s first innings with a solid fourth-wicket partnership. The pair added 65 runs together, with Ayub remaining unbeaten on 42 and Shakeel on 28 at the tea interval. Their partnership was crucial in helping Pakistan recover from the initial onslaught, as they navigated the challenging conditions of a greenish pitch.
Also WATCH: Zakir Hasan takes spectacular mid-air catch to remove Abdullah Shafique on Day 1 of first PAK vs BAN Test
After the tea break, both batters continued to build their innings, with Ayub reaching his maiden Test fifty. The duo’s efforts were instrumental in lifting Pakistan’s score above 100 as the hosts went into stumps at 158 for 4, with Shakeel also scoring his half-century.
After the dismissal of Ayub (56 off 98), Shakeel added an unbroken 44-run stand with Mohammed Rizwan. Both remained unbeaten on 57 and 24, respectively.
Context of the match
This Test series forms part of the World Test Championship, with Pakistan currently sitting sixth in the standings and Bangladesh in eighth. The match is significant not only for the teams’ standings but also for the context of cricket in Bangladesh, which has faced political unrest affecting their preparations.
