Twitter Reactions: Pakistan dominate proceedings to take 1-0 lead in Bangladesh Tests

Pakistan went through several ups and downs in their opening Test against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. However, Babar Azam and Co. put forth their A-game in the apt times and won the match by eight wickets. Most importantly, they took an all-important 1-0 lead in the two-match series with one game to be played in Dhaka from December 4.

Not much to do for Pakistan on last day

The target of 202 was expected to pose some challenges to the Pakistan team since the pitch in Chattogram was starting to get difficult to bat on. However, openers Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique put their heads down to make sure that the Tigers weren’t allowed to get a foothold back into the contest. At the close of play on Day four, they put on an unbeaten 109-stand for the first wicket.

Both batters managed to get half-centuries and put the visitors on the driver’s seat. On Day five, Pakistan needed only 93 runs to win with all their 10 second-innings wickets intact. Shafique and Abid went on to stitch together a 151-run partnership for the opening wicket. Mehidy Hasan Miraz gave Bangladesh their first breakthrough, getting rid of Shafique in the 43rd over of the innings.

Bangladesh go down in Chattogram

Shafique notched 73 runs off 129 balls with the help of eight fours and one six. Abid Ali scored a century in the first innings and he was close to getting another in the second.  But Taijul Islam cut short his stay in the middle when the batter was on 91, laced with 12 fours. Although the home team managed to eke out two wickets in quick succession, they were still behind the eight-ball.

Azhar Ali bagged a golden duck in the first innings, but made sure that they stayed unbeaten on 24, seeing his team over the finishing line. Babar has struggled with the bat on the tour and he would be relieved after he was not out on 13. Taijul picked up seven wickets in the first innings, but he managed to get only one wicket in the 28 overs he bowled in the second.

Here’s how the netizens reacted to the day’s play