Bangladesh Takes Control in Rawalpindi Despite Setbacks

Saif Ayub claimed his first Test wicket by dismissing Shakib Al Hasan. Just before the tea break, Shadman Islam was dismissed, leaving with 93 runs, narrowly missing his century by 7 runs. Despite the quick loss of Shakib, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das steadied the innings, helping Bangladesh gain control in the final session of the third day of the Rawalpindi Test. Bangladesh ended the day at 316 for 5 wickets.

Over the course of the day, Bangladesh batted for 80 overs, scoring 304 runs while losing 5 wickets. The team is still trailing Pakistan by 132 runs. Mushfiqur is unbeaten on 55, and Litton Das will resume tomorrow with 52 runs.

Mushfiqur Rahim reached his 28th Test fifty off 104 balls by hitting a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi. He also achieved a significant milestone, becoming only the second Bangladeshi cricketer after Tamim Iqbal to score 15,000 runs in international cricket.

Opener Shadman Islam, playing his first Test since 2022, was on course for a century but unfortunately fell 7 runs short, leaving the field just before the tea break. By then, Bangladesh had reached 199 for 4 in 66 overs.

Pakistan gained a crucial breakthrough when Saif Ayub was introduced into the attack, taking his first Test wicket by dismissing Shakib Al Hasan. Shakib attempted a cover drive off an outside off-stump delivery but was caught by Shan Masood, leaving Bangladesh at 218 for 5.

Mushfiqur Rahim then found a reliable partner in Litton Das, and together they added an unbeaten 44 runs for the fifth wicket, closing out the day’s play. This partnership is crucial as it is steering Bangladesh towards a substantial total.

Litton Das was particularly aggressive, reaching his fifty in just 52 balls, contrasting with the more cautious approach of Mushfiqur. Litton took on Pakistan’s pacers, hitting three boundaries and a six off Nasim Shah in one over, bringing up his 17th Test fifty in style.