RAWALPINDI: Bangladesh openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam remained unbeaten at the conclusion of Day 2 of the first Test after Pakistan declared their first innings at 448/6.
The touring party got to 27/0 in 12 overs with Shadman and Zakir contributing 12 and 11 respectively. They are 421 runs behind.
Pakistan declared their innings at 448/6 with Mohammad Rizwan unbeaten on 171.
When Pakistan captain Shan Masood called for the declaration, Rizwan was just 29 runs away from his maiden Test double century while Shaheen Shah Afridi was unbeaten with a 24-ball 29.
Rizwan remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with an undefeated 171 off 239 deliveries, laced up with 11 fours and three sixes.
Pakistan added 81 runs to their total in the second session while Bangladesh struck once when Shakib Al Hasan dismissed Salman Ali Agha on 19.
Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud each bagged two wickets for Bangladesh while Shakib and Mehidy Hasan Miraz shared two wickets between them.
Earlier, at the conclusion of the first session of Day 2, Pakistan reached 367/5 at the end of the second session with Mohammad Rizwan standing strong with a knock of 134 runs. Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha, who replaced Shakeel on the crease, was unbeaten on seven.
Shakeel and Rizwan dominated the majority of the second session, completing their centuries on the second day.
Rizwan reached the milestone first, with a boundary off Shakib Al Hasan in the 74th over. He took 143 balls and ten boundaries, including two sixes to get to his century.
On the other hand, Shakeel took 195 balls to complete his hundred, with the help of five boundaries.
Shakeel played with a quicker pace after his hundred and struck four boundaries for the next 40 runs before he was stumped out by Litton Das of Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
The vice-captain departed after a solid knock of 140 runs from 261 balls.
Salman Ali Agha joined Rizwan on the crease and they went through the next three over unscathed to end the session.
Earlier in the day, Shakeel and Rizwan, unbeaten on 57 and 24 respectively, resumed the second day’s play with 158/4 on the board.
The left-hander played an anchor role, while Rizwan challenged Bangladesh bowlers with his well-paced knock.
Rizwan completed his half-century in 63 balls with a boundary off Nahid Rana, followed by another boundary on the next ball.
Meanwhile, Shakeel remained unfazed on the other end as he reached his 80s after playing more than 150 balls.
By the end of the first session, Rizwan remained unbeaten at 89, while Shakeel was at 86 with the scoreboard reading 256-4.
Previously, the duo did well to keep Pakistan on track on the opening day with an unbeaten 44-run partnership after Bangladesh hit back with the prized scalp of Saim Ayub, who scored 56 off 98 deliveries with the help of four fours and a six.
Shakeel was involved in another crucial partnership for Pakistan when he added 98 runs for the fourth wicket with Saim.
Earlier, after being put into bat first, Pakistan got off to a disastrous start as they lost three wickets inside nine overs.
The opening Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh got off to a delayed start due to the wet outfield, owing to overnight rain in the city.
Pakistan lost opening batter Abdullah Shafique (2) in the fourth over after Zakir Hasan took a spectacular flying catch off Hasan Mahmud.
Skipper Shan Masood (6) and star batter Babar Azam (0) fell prey to Shoriful Islam, leaving Pakistan reeling at 16-3.
Saim Ayub held on to one end before Saud joined him and together they helped Pakistan to recover with a solid partnership.
Pakistan were 81-3 at the tea break, with Saim and Saud unbeaten at 42 and 28 respectively.
The two-match series part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) will run from August 21 to September 4 with both matches to be played at the same venue.
Pakistan are currently ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. They have played two away series in the championship, winning 2-0 against Sri Lanka and losing 3-0 to Australia.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Ali.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana
READ: Saud Shakeel equals major record by a Pakistan batter in Tests
