RAWALPINDI: Teenage sensation Nasim Shah became the youngest player to claim a hat-trick in Test cricket as Pakistan left Bangladesh on the cusp of a crushing defeat on the third day of the first Test at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Nasim broke the record of Bangladeshi bowler Alok Kapali, just a week before his 17th birthday. Kapali at the age of 19 had staged hat-trick against Pakistan in 2003 at Peshawar.

Nasim completed his hat-trick when Bangladesh veteran Mahmudullah miscued a drive and played it into Haris Sohail’s hands who took a sharp catch at first slip.

Najmul Hossain Shanto and night-watchman Taijul Islam were both trapped leg-before by subsequently before Mahmudullah’s dismissal.

On the penultimate ball of the day, Yasir Shah bowled Mohammad Mithun which left Bangladesh reeling at 126-6 and needing 86 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

Nasim was called up to bowl by captain Azhar Ali after 20 overs as the light began to fade.

On the third ball of only the second over of his spell, the right arm pacer hit Shanto on his pads with an inswinging ball from around the wicket and appealed for a leg-before dismissal.

Umpire Nigel Llong dismissed the appeal only to be reversed after Pakistan took a DRS review.

Taijul became Nasim’s second victim when he failed to negotiate a quick and full ball and was also trapped plumb before Mahmudullah’s departure.

Nasim, however, left the field after two deliveries of his eighth over after what later emerged to be pain on the left side of his ribcage, finishing with figures of 4-26 in 8.2 overs.

Earlier, Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal was also trapped leg-before by Yasir Shah after Pakistan were dismissed for 445 runs earlier in the second session.

Carrying on from their overnight score of 343-3, Pakistan were looking to pile on a bigger lead than what they managed at the end of their first innings.

Sensational middle-order batsman Babar Azam, who started the day on 143, was out on the first ball of the day after playing a tentative shot outside the off-stump against right-armer Abu Jayed and playing it to Mohammad Mithun at first slip.

Veteran Asad Shafiq too could only add five to his overnight tally of 60 runs before getting caught behind off Ebadot Hossain.

Left-hander Haris Sohail was the other prominent run-getter for Pakistan, adding 75 runs off 103 balls. Haris, with seven fours and two sixes, ensured Pakistan ended up with a sizeable lead 212 runs.

The southpaw added 41 with Yasir for the eighth wicket, Pakistan’s only decent partnership of the day after wicket-keeper/batsman Mohammad Rziwan was dismissed for a paltry score of 10 by right-arm pacer Rubel Hossain.

Post lunch, with Haris still on the crease, Pakistan were 420-7 but could only add 25 more.

After Shaheen Shah Afridi departed, Haris and Mohammad Abbas shared a 20-run stand but soon the left-hander lost patience and threw his wicket with a rash shot off slow-left-armer Taijul and getting caught at deep square-leg.

The visiting team’s pacers Abu Jayed and Rubel picked three wickets each while Taijul chipped in with couple of scalps with Ebadot bagging a wicket.

Bangladesh, in their second innings, lost debutant opener Saif Hassan in the ninth over, who also fell prey to Nasim, bowled out, before crushing four boundaries during his 25-ball stay.

Saif shared a 39-run opening stand with seasoned Tamim. Six overs later, the left-hander was dismissed after scoring 35 runs with the help of six fours.

Bangladesh replied with a resolute partnership between captain Mominul Haque and Shanto. The pair played sensibly, adding 71 runs for the third wicket. Bangladesh were looking comfortable at this stage, before Nasim’ came in to dealt a huge blow to their chances in what ended up being a historic spell.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH (1st Innings) 233 (Mohammad Mithun 63, Najmul Hossain Shanto 44; Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-53).

PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 342-3):

Shan Masood b Taijul 100

Abid Ali c Liton b Jayed 0

Azhar Ali c Najmul b Jayed 34

Babar Azam c Mithun b Jayed 143

Asad Shafiq c Liton b Ebadot 65

Haris Sohail c Tamim b Taijul 5

M. Rizwan c Mahmudullah b Rubel 10

Yasir Shah lbw b Rubel 5

Shaheen Shah Afridi lbw b Rubel 3

Mohammad Abbas not out 1

Naseem Shah run out 2

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, W-1, NB-2) 7

TOTAL (all out, 122.5 overs) 445

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-93, 3-205, 4-342, 5-353, 6-374, 7-415, 8-422, 9-442.

BOWLING: Ebadot Hossain 25-6-97-1; Abu Jayed 29-4-86-3 (1nb); Rubel Hossain 25.5-3-113-3 (1nb, 1w); Taijul Islam 41-6-139-2; Mahmudullah 2-0-6-0.

BANGLADESH (2nd Innings):

Tamim Iqbal lbw b Yasir 34

Saif Hassan b Naseem 16

Najmul Hossain Shanto lbw b Naseem 38

Mominul Haque not out 37

Taijul Islam lbw b Naseem 0

Mahmudullah c Haris b Naseem 0

Mohammad Mithun b Yasir 0

Liton Das not out 0

EXTRAS (W-1) 1

TOTAL (for six wkts, 45 overs) 126

FALL OF WKTS: 1-39, 2-53, 3-124, 4-124, 5-124, 6-126.

BOWLING (to-date): Shaheen Shah Afridi 11-2-35-0 (1w); Mohammad Abbas 11.4-5-20-0; Naseem Shah 8.2-2-26-4; Yasir Shah 11-2-33-2; Asad Shafiq 3-0-12-0.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2020