Just 10 overs of inept batting spoils Tigers’ entire day

Pakistan's mastery with the new ball proved too good for the Bangladesh batters yet again as the top-order miserably crumbled in the second innings on the third day of the Chattogram Test.  

Bangladesh will resume their second innings on the fourth day at 39 for four with a lead of 83 runs, with Mushfiqur Rahim and Yasir Ali at the crease on 12 and 8, respectively. The hosts have a daunting task ahead of themselves tomorrow as they have to counter the threats of Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali, who will look to make the most of the morning conditions, like they did in the first two days. Afridi did the bulk of the damage today by picking three wickets while Ali scalped one.

Previously, Bangladesh were four down for 49 in the first innings and just when one might have thought that it could not get any worse for the top four Bangladesh batters, Mominul and company found themselves at 25 for four and thus had spoiled all the hard work from the likes of Taijul Islam and Ebadot Hossain earlier in the day.

After the top-order batting fiasco repeated, Mushfiqur Rahim and debutant Yasil Ali, who came in ahead of Liton Das, put a price tag to their wicket and cautiously played out the remainder of the day as bad light had halted the day's play prematurely at the Zahur Ahmed Cricket Stadium.

Earlier in the day, Taijul's two wicket in the first over of the day, followed by a seven-wicket haul, and Ebadot's intelligent fast bowling had reduced the visitors to 286 runs just before Tea. Ebadot was rewarded with a brace while Mehedi Hasan Miraj scalped the prized wicket of Babar Azam.

Abid Ali starred for the visitors with his 133-run knock off 282 balls, laced with 12 fours and two maximums. The other opener Abdullah Shafique scored 52 while Faheem Ashraf, in at seven, played a handy knock of 38 as well and stitched brief yet important partnerships with the tail to reach their total from a precarious position of 217 for six at one stage.   

Bangladesh four down early in second innings

Bangladesh began their second innings after Tea session with a lead of 44 runs but a loss of three quick wickets within six overs have put the hosts in deep trouble against Pakistan on the third day of the Chattogram Test.  

The hosts are at 26 for 4 at the end of 12 overs and now lead by 70 runs.
 

Pakistan's ace pacer Shaheen Afridi struck a double blow in the innings fifth over, scalping the wickets of Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto with some fine display of swing bowling. Shanto departed by edging Afridi's outswinger to the slip cordon after Shadman was trapped in front by an inswinger.  

Skipper Mominul came and went in disappointing fashion as he mistimed a seemingly harmless Hasan Ali delivery to present a sitter at midwicket. Among the departed batters, only Shadman managed to get off the mark.  

Saif Hassan was the latest to walk off to the pavilion, on 18, from a caught-and-bowled dismissal off Afridi's bouncer. Even though the right-handed opener had initially hit three boundaries off Hasan Ali, he was living dangerously throughout his stay in the middle and came close to being dismissed thrice but each time the ball dropped short of the fielder.

Debutant Yasir Ali has joined Mushfiqur Rahim, on 7, at the crease. Afridi has scalped three wickets so far for the visitors while Hasan Ali took one. 

Earlier before Tea, Pakistan were bundled out for 286 in reply to Bangladesh's first innings score of 330.