Bangladesh vs Pakistan, 1st Test Stats Review: Abid Ali's records, Shaheen Afridi's magical numbers and more stats

Liton Das’s ton and a half-century in the Test was not enough for Bangladesh as they lost the first Test against Pakistan on the fifth and final day of the Test. Batting first, Bangladesh didn’t get off to a good start as they were struggling at 49/4, with all of their top four batters not crossing even the 20-run-mark.

Then came the mammoth fifth-wicket partnership of 206 runs between the senior pro-Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das. The pair took Bangladesh to a good total of 330 in the first innings. Liton Das, the wicketkeeper-batter, scored his first Test century as he was out on 114 runs to Hasan Ali, who claimed a fifer, his fifth this year equaling with India’s Axar Patel, both of them having most fifers in 2021.

Speaking of the massive fifth-wicket partnership between Mushfiqur and Liton, it is the highest fifth-wicket partnership stand for Bangladesh in Tests at home. Abdullah Shafique, on Test debut, scored fifty as Abid Ali smashed the fourth century of his Test career as he made 133 runs before falling out LBW to Taijul Islam who broke the back of Pakistan’s team by taking 7 wickets.

Liton Das was the star performer for Bangladesh again as he scored 59 runs in the second innings. This time it was another Pakistan’s bowling sensation Shaheen Afridi’s turn to take a fifer. Bangladesh’s innings ended with just 157 runs as they set Pakistan a target of 202. Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique joined hands again as both struck half-centuries to take Pakistan to a comprehensive victory over the Bangla Tigers.

The Babar Azam-led side took a 1-0 lead in the series and would like to finish the Bangladesh tour with a 5-0 clean sweep across formats by winning the second and the final Test starting on December four in Dhaka. The hosts will be looking to avoid a complete whitewash by clinching the second Test to draw the Test series 1-1 before a tough New Zealand tour awaits for them starting on New Year’s Day, January first, 2022 in New Zealand.

Meanwhile, here are the important stats and numbers from Bangladesh vs Pakistan first Test:

5 – Abdullah Shafique became the fifth Pakistan batter to score 50 plus scores in both innings on Test debut.

206 – Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das shared 206 runs fifth-wicket partnership in the first innings. It is Bangladesh’s highest fifth-wicket stand in Tests at home.

5 – Hasan Ali took the fifth fifer in Tests this year. He is now in line with India’s spinner Axar Patel.

5 – Hasan Ali’s fifth fifer this year equals him with Imran Khan, Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Yasir Shah who also took the same number of fifers in the years 1982, 1990, 1999, and 2017 respectively. Waqar Younis is also on first with most fifers (6) by a Pakistani bowler in a calendar year. He did that in 1993.

1 – Liton Das scored his first century in Tests.

133 – Abid Ali’s score of 133 is third-highest by a Pakistani opener against Bangladesh in Tests. Mohammad Hafeez has scored 224 and 143 against Bangladesh in 2015 and 2011 respectively.

7/116 – Taijul Islam’s figures are fifth-highest by a Bangladesh bowler in an innings in Tests at home.

11 – Pakistan won the 11^th Test against Bangladesh. They have never lost to them in their Test history with one match getting drawn in 2015.

18 – Azhar Ali recorded his 18^th duck in Tests. Danish Kaneria tops the list with 25 ducks for Pakistan.

17 – Azhar Ali equaled Marvan Atapattu (17) for most ducks by a batter in position one-three in Tests. Michael Atherton is on top with 20 ducks to his name.

14 – Azhar Ali now holds the record for most noughts (14) at no. three in Tests.

785 – Abid Ali has now scored the most runs (785) for Pakistan in Tests since 2020.

8 – Shaheen Afridi (8) has taken most four wicket-hauls in an innings in Tests in 2021.