Bangladesh batters Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das put on some resistance following the Tigers' top-order collapse after Pakistan had put the hosts to follow-on on the final day of their second Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
Bangladesh were able to score 72 for four before umpires signaled for lunch. However, the Tigers, who are following on, still trail by 141 runs.
The duo of Mushfiqur and Liton brought some stability in the middle, stitching together an unbeaten 47-run fifth-wicket stand, which is also the highest total so far by Bangladesh in this game.
Mushfiqur remained unbeaten on16 off 52 deliveries while Liton, who had started very cautiously as he took 21 balls to open his account, notched up a gear after settling in. Liton pounced on the loose deliveries by Pakistan spinners Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan as the right-hander smashed a total of four boundaries during his unbeaten 46-ball 27.
Earlier, Pakistan's pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali ran riot as they took two wickets each to put Bangladesh in a precarious situation. It was the same old struggle of Bangladesh batters against the pace and swing of the Pakistani pacers that saw the Tigers reeling at 25 for four at one stage of the game.
Before that, Pakistan had bundled out Bangladesh for 87, the lowest-ever total in Tests in Mirpur, to enforce a follow-on.
mj/
