DHAKA: The majority of play on day two of the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan was washed out due to persistent rain here at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Sunday.

Just 6.2 overs from a possible 98 were possible as Pakistan resumed the day on 161-2 and reached 188-2 before the umpires called it a day.

Skipper Babar Azam was batting on 71 with Azhar Ali on 52 at stumps.

Rain and bad light also interrupted the game on day one, allowing just two sessions.

As the game started after the lunch session on Sunday, Babar resumed with a boundary through fine leg off pacer Khaled Ahmed, showing his intention to score quick runs.

Right-handed Azhar also hit a boundary in the second ball he faced off pacer Ebadot Hossain.

He then struck two consecutive fours in Ebadot’s next over to reach his 34th Test fifty off 126 balls just before rain forced the postponement.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who didn’t bowl on day two, remains Bangladesh’s biggest threat with match figures of 2-49.

Pakistan won the first Test in Chittagong by eight wickets and lead the two-match series 1-0.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 161-2):

Abid Ali b Taijul 39

Abdullah Shafique b Taijul 25

Azhar Ali not out 52

Babar Azam not out 71

EXTRAS (LB-1) 1

TOTAL (for two wickets, 63.2 overs) 188

STILL TO BAT: Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Nauman Ali, Hasan Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-59 (Abdullah), 2-70 (Abid)

BOWLING (to-date): Ebadot Hossain 12-1-48-0; Khaled Ahmed 7.2-1-26-0; Shakib Al Hasan 15-6-33-0; Taijul Islam 17-5-49-2; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 12-2-31-0

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2021