Pak vs Ban: Pakistan put together respectable 158/4 at stumps after early losses

• Match faces hours-long delay due to wet outfield. 
• Second Test match will also be played in Rawalpindi.
• Both teams have locked horns in 13 Test matches.

Pakistan managed to put together a respectable score with Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel hitting half centuries after facing early losses on a rain-delayed opening day of the first test against Bangladesh played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

The hosts finished on 158/4 at stumps with vice-captain Shakeel unbeaten on 57* (92) while wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan made 24* (31) after Bangladesh won the toss and, electing to bowl first, destroyed the batting line of the hosts on a helpful pitch.

After being asked to bat first, the home side struggled greatly against Bangladesh’s pace attack as Abdullah Shafique (2), along with skipper Shan Masood (6) and Babar Azam (0) were dismissed inside the first 10 overs.

After the loss of three wickets at the very outset, the hosts managed to comeback in the game with improved batting conditions under the sun as Saim Ayub and Shakeel took the total to 81-3 at tea. The duo formed a crucial 98-run partnership that took Pakistan out of trouble.

The pair was doing well when Saim was dismissed in the 32nd over. Saim reached his first Test fifty in his third innings. He made 56 off 98 balls which included four fours and a six.

Shakeel carried on with Rizwan and took Pakistan to a respectable position at the end of the day. Rizwan remained unbeaten on 24 at stumps.

Shakeel hit his seventh half-century in the 20th innings. He earlier became the joint-fastest Pakistan batsman to 1,000 test runs alongside Saeed Ahmed.

For Bangladesh, Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud picked two wickets each.

This is the first match of Pakistan's red-ball team under new head coach Jason Gillespie.

Talking to the media after the match, the visitors' fast bowler Hasan Mahmud said: "We will try to bowl out Pakistan for under 200 runs." Responding to a query regarding not including spinners in the team, he said it was the management's decision.

Squads

Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed (not in first Test), Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam (not in first Test), Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mahmudullah, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan. Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed and Khaled Ahmed.