Sports Reporter:
Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed helped Bangladesh claw back into the first cricket Test against Pakistan despite a brilliant century of opener Azan Awais on debut at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.
Resuming Day 3 at 179-1, Pakistan appeared set for a big total with Azan Awais kicking the things on same vain as he did in the previous day.
However, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin took four wickets of Pakistan for 20 runs in the first hour, reducing the visitors to 251-1 at lunch.
Pakistan were still trailing by 162 runs as Bangladesh were bowled out for 413 in its first innings.
Azan who became the 15th Pakistan batter and seventh opener to hit century on debut, finally was dis-missed on 103 off 165, an innings laced with 14 fours. Another debutant Abdullah Fazal was out on 60, failing to replicate the feat of Azan.
Miraz ended the session with 3-61 with his wily offpsin while pacer Taskin finished with 2-61.
Azan began the day fluently, hitting two fours in the first four overs to reach 99. He then nudged Nahid Rana to point for a single to raise his century off 153 balls.
But the brilliant knock came to end when he edged Taskin delivery to slip to give the pacer his 50th Test wicket. In doing so, Taskin became only third Bangladeshi pacer after Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Sha-hadat Hossain Rajib to reach the milestone.
Taskin then sent back captain Shan Masood for 9 to trigger a mini collapse as Pakistan lost three wickets for four runs.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz struck twice including the wicket of another debutant Abdullah Fazal who made 60.
Salman Agha was batting on 12 with Mohammad Rizwan on 8 at the first interval of the day.
