Bangladesh face daunting task

Sports Reporter :Bangladesh are facing daunting task when they scored 63 for the loss of one wicket in the second innings against Pakistan on the third day of the second and final Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday. Bangladesh need more 487 runs to win with remaining nine wickets and they have two days to bat.Sent into bat first, Pakistan piled up a mammoth 557 for the loss of eight wickets and declared their first innings on the second day (Thursday).In reply, Bangladesh scored 107 for the loss of five wickets before the bails were drawn for the second day.Shakib Al Hasan resumed his first innings with the over-night score of 14.Shakib alone fought back against Pakistan bowling attack. He remained unbeaten with 89. His 91-ball innings was ornamented with 14 fours and two sixes. It was Hasan’s 19th Test half century.Excepting Shakib Al Hasan no Bangladesh batsman shone with the willow. Thus Bangladesh were all out for 203 in the first innings. Wahab Riaz was his team’s most successful bowler on the third day. The pacer finished his spell as 15-2-73-3.Later, Pakistan made a shaky start losing their early three wickets for 49 runs. Openers Mohammad Hafeez and Sami Aslam were dismissed by Mohammad Shahid for naught and eight runs respectively.Azhar Ali was dismissed by Soumya Sarkar for 25.After departure of Azhar Ali, Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq repaired the damage adding together 58 runs before Younis Khan was caught and bowled by Taijul Islam when Pakistan’s total was 107 for the loss of four wickets.Then Asad Shafiq was bowled out by Shuvagata Hom for 15 runs when the tourists total was 140 for the loss of five wickets.After removal of Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfraz Ahmed added together 45 runs before Misbah was caught at the mid-wicket by substitute Abul Hasan off Mahmudullah Riyad when the visitors total was 195 for the loss of six wickets.Misbah-ul-Haq hammered a superb 82. His 72-ball knock was decorated with nine fours and three sixes. It was Misbah’s 28th Test half century.Younis Khan scored a polished 39 off 55 balls including four fours.Mahammad Shahid bagged a pair of wickets at the cost of 23 runs while Mahmudullah Riyad, Shuvagata Hom, Soumya Sarkar, Taijul Islam took one wicket each for eight, 18, 45 and 56 runs respectively.Then Pakistan declared their second innings and set a target of 550 runs to win in the second innings for Bangladesh.Bangladesh made a brisk start as Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, the two openers put on together 48 runs in the opening stand before Imrul Kayes was bowled by Yasir Shah for 16.Dashing opener Tamim Iqbal was on 32 and Mominul Haque was on 15 before the two umpires pocketted the bails for the third day.