From the depths of 26/6, Bangladesh produced a memorable comeback to neutralise the damage done by Pakistan pacers on the third morning of the 2nd Test in Rawalpindi. Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz put up a rescue act for the ages with the pair adding 165 runs for the seventh wicket as they fell just 12 runs short of Pakistan’s first innings total of 274-all out.
Litton scored a marvelous century – 138 off 228 – and Mehidy a solid 78 off 124 with Bangladesh being bowled out for 262 in 78.4 overs to bounce back into the series-decider, and keep their hopes of a historic Test series win in Pakistan alive and kicking.
Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has criticised the team’s performance having allowed Bangladesh an excellent recovery.
“It appears to me that Bangladesh have come here to create records,” Shehzad said in on his YouTube channel. “The bowlers reduced Bangladesh to 26/6 and after that you allowed them to add 165 runs for the seventh wicket.”
Shehzad also took a dig at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman’s Mohsin Naqvi’s recent claim that there’s not enough bank of quality players in their domestic cricket to who can replace the underperforming international stars.
He pointed out the performance of fast bowlers Khurram Shahzad and Mir Hamza as proof of talent in Pakistan domestic circuit. Shahzad picked up a six-fer while Hamza took two wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings.
“At one time it looked they (Pakistan) have a firm grip on the proceedings thanks to our youngsters. It’s been claimed we don’t have the instrument for a surgery in domestic cricket. These youngsters came from our domestic cricket, not from Mohenjo-Daro. They’ve been waiting for their chances and today they got it in the absence of any senior bowler in the team,” Shehzad said.
“It was entertaining to see how Khurram Shehzad targeted their weak areas and exposed their technique. Mir Hamza also provided a good support. Overall it was a good start,” he added.
Shehzad claimed Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood wasn’t proactive enough and made bowling changes just for the sake of allowing the partnership between Litton and Mehidy to flourish.
“And what followed is what Pakistan is infamous for. There’s an absence of collective effort, we see it in patches. They end up exploiting the phases when the opponent isn’t at their best. But in challenging situations they have to be proactive, make changes and be ruthless. In our field, when the opponent is under pressure, you shouldn’t give them any opening to bounce back,” he said.
“No disrespect to Bangladesh batters but our body language was down during that partnership. It appeared everyone is tired and aren’t used to playing Test cricket. Even in the last match, they were fined. There was no proactiveness in captaincy, there was absence of discipline. You allowed their tailenders to score. There was a chance for Pakistan to draw level but they let it slip. In the coming days, there’s forecast of rain and then you will claim of being unlucky. You ended up throwing your wicket, allowed a world-record partnership to flourish so how were you unlucky?” he added.
Shehzad feels that the chances of a Pakistan victory from this situation appears are slim. “From this situation, Pakistan’s win appears difficult. They will have to play some extraordinary cricket or Bangladesh will have to be extremely poor for Pakistan to win this match now,” he said.
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