DUBAI: Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has gained his career-best fifth rank in International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings for bowlers.
The left-arm pacer bagged seven wickets in the recently concluded opening Test of two-match series against Bangladesh.
Afridi’s wicket-tally reached 83 in Test format. The 21-year-old cricketer made his Test debut in 2018 against Abu Dhabi.
Meanwhile, Hasan Ali also grabbed his career-high 11th rank in bowlers’ ranking for the longer format. The right-arm pacer also took as many wickets as Afridi against Bangladesh in Chattogram Test.
Test opener Abid Ali reached 20th spot in Test ranking for the first time in his career after scoring 133 and 91 against Bangladesh in the first Test.
LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s chairman Ramiz Raja praised the national team for winning a Test against Bangladesh on a turning pitch.
Taking to Twitter, Ramiz congratulated Babar Azam XI for an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in their backyard.
“Congrats boys! chasing 200 on a turning pitch was a test of sorts. Great that the chase was executed perfectly. And winning away from home is always more special,” he wrote.
It must be noted here that Pakistani openers Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique displayed strong batting show as Pakistan managed to beat Bangladesh by eight wickets in the opening Test of the two-match ICC Test Championship series.
CHATTOGRAM: Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique continued their superb form on Day 5 and it helped Pakistan notch an eight-wicket victory against Bangladesh in the opening Test here on Tuesday.
Resuming the last day at 93-0, Abid and Abdullah added 58 more runs together to set Pakistan closer to the victory line. Hasan Miraz picked up Abdullah but it was too late for the home side for causing any destruction.
Debutant Abdullah scored 73 runs off 129 balls including eight boundaries and a maximum before getting LBW. His opening partner Abid got out after scoring 93 runs laced with 12 boundaries.
Azhar Ali (24*) and skipper Babar Azam (13*) scored match-winning runs for Pakistan as they both partnered together to score 31 runs.
Tajiul Islam and Miraz bagged a wicket each for Bangladesh.
Abid Ali was named man-of-the-match for scoring 224 runs in two innings with a century.
CHITTAGONG: Pakistan’s Test debutant Abdullah Shafique was happy to score back-to-back fifties in his career’s first match against Bangladesh.
Abdullah, who partnered with Abid Ali to score 109-0 together and take Pakistan closer to the victory, said he is satisfied with the way he executed the plan given by team management.
“I and Abid Bhai were given a plan to stay at the crease as long as possible. I am happy that we executed the plan well for our team,” he said.
“It’s an honor for me to play for Pakistan and score back-to-back fifties on Test debut. I will try to continue this performance ahead,” he added.
Abid and Abdullah will resume Pakistan’s inning on Day 5 tomorrow at 109-0, needing 93 more runs to win the opening Test of the two-match series.
CHATTOGRAM: Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique once again stood well for Pakistan as they registered a winning position on Day 4 of the opening Test against Bangladesh.
Set to chase 202 runs after Shaheen Shah Afridi’s heroics, Pakistan got the full support of its openers who scored 109-0 at stumps on Day 4. Abid scored 56 runs off 105 balls including six boundaries whereas Abdullah made 53 runs laced with six boundaries and a six.
Pakistani openers Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique settled down after Afridi did his job with the ball. The Green Caps were 38-0 at Tea on Day 4, needing 164 more runs to win the opening contest of the two-match series.
Earlier, Afridi bagged his fourth Test fifer as Pakistan bowled out Bangladesh for 157 with a lead of 201 runs.
The under-pressure home side resumed Day 4 at nervous 39-4 with Mushfiqur Rahim (12*) and Yasir Ali (8*) at the crease. Hasan Ali started the proceedings on the fourth day, removing experienced Mushfiqur after the overnight pair added just four runs to the team’s total. The right-handed batter scored 16 runs.
Yasir partnered strongly with Liton Das to score 47 runs together but he got retired hurt after scoring 36 off 72 balls. Das continued his superb form from the last innings and smashed 59 off 89 balls including six boundaries.
Afridi dismantled Bangladesh’s lower order alongside off-spinner Sajid Khan who managed to take three wickets. Hasan took two scalps whereas Afridi finished with the figures of 5-32.
CHITTAGONG: Pakistan’s leading test wicket-taker this year – Shaheen Shah Afridi reviewed his performance on day-three of the opening Test against Bangladesh.
Pakistan’s left-handed pacer, Afridi in an interview, said he and his bowling partner Hasan Ali had partnered strongly to take early wickets of the opponents.
“Hasan and I were continuously sharing the plan with each other. ‘Who will go for wickets and who will put pressure on the opposition’ that was the plan we were talking about,” he shared.
“He backed me a lot and it helped me take wickets. Our focus is to try and help Pakistan win this match,” Afridi said.
It must be noted here that Afridi is currently the leading Test wicket taker in calendar year 2021. The has so far taken five wickets in the ongoing test match against Bangladesh.
READ: Bowler’s day at Chittagong as Bangladesh takes the lead in first test
CHITTAGONG: Tajiul Aslam dismantled Pakistan’s batting order to get Tigers in the commanding position but Bangladesh top order failed in the second innings.
Pakistan, resuming at the overnight score of 145/0, could not make the most of the situation as the debutant opener Abdullah Shafique was sent back to the pavilion without disturbing the scoreboard as the batter went out without scoring a run on day 3. He was trapped in legs on 52 by Tajiul.
Abid Ali was looking firm at one end as the batter went on to score a magnificent century (133 off 282 deliveries) but Green shirts’ strong middle order kept tumbling at the other end and the side lost their five wickets for just 61 runs. Pakistan’s all-rounder and lower-order batter – Faheem Ashraf showed resistance but he was too sent back to the pavilion on 38 by Tajiul. Pakistan’s tail did little to resist and Pakistan in the end were bowled out for 286, handing the Tigers 44 runs lead.
Pakistani skipper – Babar Azam could not keep going in Bangladesh as the batter got out for just 10, wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan scored just 5 (38). Fawad Alam could only score 8 (15) and Pakistan’s most experienced batter in the side – Azhar Ali, bagged a golden duck.
Tajiul proved out to be the stand-out bowler for the Tigers as the spinner took 7 wickets for 116. Ebadat Hossain bagged two wickets. Whereas, Mehidy Hassan dismissed one batter.
Bangladesh started their second innings with a 44-runs lead but their top order failed to capitalize on the given opportunity as they had no answers to Pakistan’s bowling attack. Tigers lost their first wicket with just 14 on the board as their opening batter Shadman Islam was sent back to the pavilion on 1 by Shaheen Shah Afridi. A ball later the bowler dismissed Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck. Hassan Ali then also joined the party as the bowler dismissed the skipper Mominul Haque for a duck.
Bangladesh at the end of day-three, finished with 39/4 with the lead of 83 runs. Wicket-keeper batter Mushfiqur Rahim, not-out on 12, and Yasir Ali (8*) will resume the innings tomorrow for the Tigers.
Afridi, who dismantled the Bangladesh’s top-order, took three wickets for just 6 runs. Hasan Ali took one wicket for 19.
READ: Hasan takes fifer before Abid-Abdullah set Pakistan on top
CHITTAGONG: Pakistani opener Abid Ali feels that he and his opening partner debutant Abdullah Shafique have made a strong position for their team in the first Test against Bangladesh.
Abid and Abdullah provided a solid start with the bat to Pakistan as they finished Day 2 at 145-0 in reply to Bangladesh’s 330.
“I and Abdullah planned to stay at the crease for as long as we can. With this score, Pakistan has got into a strong position, just we need to carry the momentum tomorrow,” he said.
“Our first target will be to score 330 and then take lead. We are set on the pitch and we will try to continue this temperament,” he added.
Abid remained not out for 93 whereas Abdullah walked off on Day 2’s end after scoring 52 not-out.
CHITTAGONG: Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique provided an eye-catching start to Pakistan after pacer Hasan Ali helped the Green Caps bowl out Bangladesh for 330 on Day 2 of the opening Test.
Resuming at the overnight score of 253/4, Bangladesh’s set pair of Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das was destroyed by Hasan who picked up Das on an LBW. He scored 114 off 233 balls including 11 boundaries and a six.
It was not too late when Hasan picked another wicket, this time Yasir Ali walked off after being deceived completely by the in-form bowler.
Mushfiq was made completely speechless by Faheem Ashraf who forced him to edge the ball behind the stumps. The experienced batter took a review to make sure he got out, and the review went down against Bangladesh. He made 91 while smoking 11 boundaries.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz fought hard to get Bangladesh to a fighting total by scoring 38 off 68 including six boundaries.
Hasan bagged five for 51 followed by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem taking two wickets each. Sajid Khan took one wicket on Day 1.
In reply, Pakistani openers Abid and Abdullah were on song as they managed to score 82 at Tea on Day 2. They both were tough for Bangladeshi bowlers to bowl to. At the Tea break, Abid was at 55 whereas debutant Abdullah was not out at 27.
Coming back from the Tea, Abid and Abdullah kept things tight for Bangladeshi bowlers as they helped Pakistan finish Day 1 at 145-0. Abid needs seven runs to complete his fourth Test hundred. Abdullah scored his fifty on debut and remained not out at 52 with Abid (93*).
CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh’s batters Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim put on an unbeaten 200-runs partnership as Bangladesh is back into the game.
Bangladesh scored 253/4 at the end of the first day. Their middle order batter, Liton Das was their stand out performer as the right-handed batter played a fighting knock against the strong Pakistan bowling attack and scored an unbeaten century at the stumps. Mushfiqur Rahim also played a sensible knock as he is not out on 82.
The batters found their side struggling when they came out to bat as Bangladesh were four-down with just 49 on the board. The middle-order batters rebuilt the momentum and put on an unbeaten 204-runs partnership to bring their side out of danger.
Pakistan’s bowlers on the other hand could not managed to take wickets consistently as they got four wickets in quick succession in the first session and they went wicket-less in the remaining two sessions. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Sajid Khan and Faheem Ashraf dismissed one batter each in first day’s play.
Bangladesh batters will be looking to keep up the good work. Whereas, Pakistan will be looking to break this stand.
READ: Liton, Mushfiq fightback to put Bangladesh in control