Calamitous batting approach returns familiar woes

When Mehedi Hasan Miraz went down on his knees to slog sweep Sajid Khan, only to find his off-stump disturbed, the frustration of Shakib Al Hasan at the non-striker's end was apparent. Shakib slashed his bat into the air, unable to contain his anger after his partner perished to a shot at an ill-opportune moment. Before that, Shakib talked to Miraz as soon as the right-hander walked in, perhaps discussing an approach to avert looming follow-on. Miraz's approach in that shot, or lack of it, embodied the collective approach of the Bangladesh batters as familiar batting woes returned to haunt them in their first innings.

The effort from Bangladesh batters was all-together surreal; a lack of plan evident from the beginning. Shaheen Shah Afridi's first over really put opener Shadman Islam to the sword, one he did well to survive. But a lack of light resulted in Pakistan resorting exclusively to spinners from then on. In overcast conditions, the spinners were always going to be easier to nullify but Bangladesh's batters failed to devise a plan against the inexperienced Pakistan spin duo.

Debutant Mahmudul Hasan Joy was unsure of how to best deal with the spin. He ended up dancing forward, hoping to get to the pitch of the ball but edged it to slip after an unconvincing poke against Sajid. Shadman, who had bid his time at the crease patiently, then found a Sajid delivery slightly gaining on him. Even with enough time, his poor footwork saw him unable to cut it away with conviction and was caught at point. From that point onwards it appeared as if Bangladesh batters felt an urgency to play rash shots to make the Pakistan spinners think.

Test batting is about letting the bowler know you are in control. Captain Mominul Haque seemed eager to get off strike against the right-arm Sajid and ended up going for a risky single with Hasan Ali striking down the stumps with a direct hit as Bangladesh went to Tea three down for 24 runs. What transpired after tea was calamitous.

Pakistan's first innings ending on day four, and the lack of light, meant the Test was grinding towards a draw. However, the way Bangladesh batters played shots post-Tea can only be called luxurious in the format.

Having punched one through the covers for four in the 13th over, Mushfiqur Rahim, the team's core batsman in the format, decided it was time for a slog sweep the next delivery and found the man at mid-on, the shot not resembling a Test batting approach. Liton came in to hammer a Sajid delivery over mid-wicket that almost carried for six but later walloped one back to Sajid to depart for a 19-ball 6.

Najmul Hossain had been chancing his luck during a team-high 30 off 50, trying to force the issue and then perished to a Sajid drifter, caught nowhere as the ball struck him plumb in front. Pressure fell squarely on Shakib, who himself took upon a counter-attacking approach to avert follow-on. Miraz's dismissal, then left Bangladesh with a difficult task on the final day and it could have been worse had bad light not ended play 30 minutes before schedule.