Hafeez, Umar put Pakistan on top

CHITTAGONG: Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar cracked unbeaten half-centuries to put Pakistan in command after Bangladesh crashed to 135 on the opening day of the first Test on Friday.

Pakistan made a strong reply to reach 132 for no loss in their first innings at stumps, with Hafeez hitting nine fours in his 74 not out and Umar seven boundaries in his unbeaten 53.

Umar gave a chance in the last over of the day bowled by left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan, but Shahadat Hossain failed to hold on to the ball at mid-on.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman earlier finished with 3-9 and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal with 3-40 as Bangladesh were dismissed in just 51.2 overs after being put in to bat in Chittagong.

Pacemen Aizaz Cheema and Umar Gul also gave a good account of themsleves as they wrecked the hosts’ top order before finishing with two wickets each.

Bangladesh also had their shot-selection to blame for their dismal batting display against Pakistan’s pace-spin combination as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Lower-order batsman Nasir Hossain top-scored with 41 with the help of one six and seven fours before being the last man out.

Debutant opener Mohammed Nazimuddin also offered some resistance as he batted more than a session for his 79-ball 31 with the help of five fours before he was caught by Hafeez in the slips off Gul.

Mohammad Mahmudullah (18) was the other batsman to reach double-figures.

Pakistan, playing their first Test in Bangladesh in almost a decade, put the hosts in deep trouble in the morning when they took five wickets for 47 runs in the opening 23 overs.

Cheema rocked Bangladesh with two quick wickets while Gul, Ajmal and Rehman each took one wicket after the tourists had won the toss and elected to field.

Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq opened the attack with off-spinner Hafeez, but had to rely on his fast bowlers to jolt the hosts on an easy-paced track.

Hafeez gave away nine runs, including a six over long-off by opener Tamim Iqbal, in his opening three overs before being replaced by Cheema who struck with his fourth delivery.

Cheema had Tamim (nine) caught behind and then had Shahriar Nafees caught by Younis Khan at second slip for no score in his next over.

Bangladesh continued to struggle against pace as they soon lost Mohammad Ashraful, caught behind off Gul after making just one run.

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (four) was trapped leg-before in Ajmal’s first over, while former captain Shakib Al Hasan (eight) was caught at square-leg by Hafeez while sweeping Rehman.

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Bangladesh fold on 135 all out in first test

CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh delivered another tame batting performance in the opening test against Pakistan in Chittagong on Friday and were bowled out for 135 runs in their first innings.

Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman each grabbed three wickets, with Rehman claiming the final wicket when he had Nasir Hossain (41) caught by Azhar Ali at forward short leg to force an early tea break.

The 20-year-old Nasir had provided brief resistance for the home side before he fell a run short of his career best in only his third test.

Bangladesh had gone in at lunch on 52 for five and fared no better at the crease on the resumption of play, losing the wicket of opener Nazimuddin in the third over after the break.

The debutant local boy, dropped by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal off Ajmal two balls before lunch, fell on 31, edging Umar Gul at third slip to Mohammad Hafeez.

Ajmal trapped Mahmudullah in front for 18 before he took the wicket of Elias Sunny, finishing with figures of 3-40.

Earlier Aizaz Cheema grabbed two wickets as Pakistan rocked Bangladesh in the opening session.

Nazimuddin and Tamim Iqbal saw off the first half hour without any damage before Cheema struck to take the wicket of Tamim, caught by Adnan for nine.

It triggered a familiar collapse as Bangladesh lost four more wickets for 30 runs.

Shahriar Nafees gave a catch to Younus Khan off Cheema without scoring, while Mohammad Ashraful (one) edged Gul for Adan to take a simple catch behind the stumps.

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim went lbw off Ajmal before Shakib Al Hasan brought about his own demise by attempting a sweep shot off left-arm spinner Rehman.

Hafeez, the only Pakistani bowler not to get a wicket in the first session, took the catch at short square leg to send Shakib back for eight.

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