Cricket

Pakistan's head coach, Jason Gillespie, has faced a challenging start to his tenure as the team struggles to avoid a series loss against Bangladesh. With one day remaining in the crucial Test match, Gillespie acknowledged the visitors' favoritism but emphasized the need for discipline and application from his players.In the first innings, Pakistan's bowlers had Bangladesh on the ropes at 6 for 26, but a resilient 165-run seventh-wicket stand propelled the visitors to a respectable 262, the highest score in Test history for a team losing their first six wickets under 50. Gillespie stressed the importance of managing such situations effectively, as Pakistan's bowlers faltered in the face of Bangladesh's resistance.On the fourth morning, Bangladesh replicated Pakistan's success from the previous day, dismissing the hosts for 172, with all ten wickets falling to the quicks. Gillespie criticized his bowlers for deviating from their game plan and urged them to maintain discipline and intent.Pakistan's off-field decision-making has also come under scrutiny. In the first Test, they opted for an all-pace attack, neglecting spinner Abrar Ahmed, a decision that backfired when Bangladesh's slow bowlers dominated the final day. This time, despite preparing a seam-friendly pitch, Pakistan omitted Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah from the playing XI, leaving them without genuine pace or old-ball threat.Gillespie defended the team's selection, stating that they considered the conditions and surfaces. However, he acknowledged that Afridi and Shah are valuable assets and that the team is working to build a squad mentality.Despite the odds being stacked against them, Gillespie expressed hope that Pakistan could still salvage a victory. He emphasized the importance of taking catches, seizing opportunities, and maintaining a positive mindset.However, the weather may play a significant role in the outcome. Steady rain has been falling for several hours, with more forecast overnight and on the final day. If play is not possible, Bangladesh will secure their most famous series win, while Pakistan will be left to rue their missed opportunities.

Bangladesh is on the cusp of a historic 2-0 series whitewash over Pakistan after dominating the second Test in Rawalpindi. Resuming at nine for two, Pakistan was bowled out for 172 in their second innings, setting Bangladesh a target of 185 for victory.Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana were the stars for Bangladesh with the ball, taking five and four wickets respectively. Mahmud dismissed overnight batter Saim Ayub for 20 before Rana dismantled Pakistan's batting lineup with three wickets in three overs. Shan Masood and Babar Azam fell cheaply, while Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 43, was dropped on his first ball.After lunch, Mahmud struck twice in quick succession to remove Rizwan and Mohammad Ali. He also claimed the wicket of Abrar Ahmed, while Salman Agha remained unbeaten on 47. Mahmud secured his maiden five-wicket haul by dismissing Mir Hamza.In the first Test, Bangladesh claimed their first-ever Test victory against Pakistan, winning by 10 wickets. A victory in the second Test would mark a historic achievement for the Tigers, who have never won a Test series against Pakistan.Bangladesh openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam reached 42 without loss in seven overs before bad light and rain halted play. Hasan was unbeaten on 31, including two sixes, accompanied by Islam on nine. Bangladesh now need 143 more runs to win on the final day.

Rain halted Bangladesh's pursuit of a clean sweep against Pakistan after young pace bowlers Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana rattled the hosts for 172 on Day 4 of the second Test on Monday (September 2, 2024).Bangladesh had scampered to 42-0 in seven overs before bad light, followed by rain, allowed only one over of play in the final session on Day 4. The tourists will need another 143 runs for a rare Test series win away from home.Bangladesh has won just one bilateral Test series outside home - beating the West Indies in 2009 - but won the first Test by 10 wickets for its first-ever Test victory against Pakistan in 14 matches.The 24-year-old Mahmud grabbed 5-43 while 21-year-old Rana chipped in with 4-44 as Pakistan was bowled out half an hour before tea for an overall lead of 184.Under overcast conditions, Bangladesh openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam scored at a rapid pace before rain arrived. Zakir was unbeaten on 31 off 23 balls that included two pulled sixes against fast bowler Khurram Shahzad and Shadman Islam was not out on 9.A resilient century from Litton Das and an equally splendid half-century from Mehidy Hasan Miraz allowed Pakistan a slender first innings lead of 12 runs after the tourists had collapsed to 26-6 on Day 3.The Pakistani top order's long struggle in red-ball cricket has seen it lose five of the last nine Test matches at home with its last win coming against South Africa in December 2021. The other four Test matches were drawn.Babar Azam's (11) poor run of form in Test matches stretched to seven games when he fell to Rana for the second time in the series as the tall fast bowler rattled the top order by claiming three wickets in his first three overs.Top-scorer Salman Ali Agha (47 not out) and Mohammad Rizwan (43) led the recovery with a half-century partnership after Rana's burst had reduced the home team to 81-6 in the first session, before Mahmud sliced through the lower order.Mahmud was on a hat trick when he had Rizwan caught behind after the break and followed it up with another brilliant ball that found the outside edge of Mohammad Ali's bat. But Salman added a vital 36 runs in the company of tailenders before Mahmud completed a five-for by claiming the last wicket.Earlier, Rana could have ended the first session with four wickets but Rizwan was dropped in the slips cordon. Rana came to the fore after Taskin provided the breakthrough when skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto dived low to his left and grabbed a two-handed catch to dismiss Saim Ayub for 20.Skipper Shan Masood struck four boundaries in his 28 before Pakistan's innings crashed against Rana's pace. Masood and Saud Shakeel got slight edges and Pakistan's premier batter Babar edged to Shadman at slip after struggling for 18 balls. Shadman dropped a regulation chance on the next ball to give Rizwan a big reprieve as Pakistan went to lunch at 117-6.Babar has been going through a poor run of form and it's now been eight Test matches since he posted a half-century. His top score in that time was 41 against Australia at Melbourne last year.Both teams are near the bottom of the World Test Championship, with Bangladesh occupying seventh spot and Pakistan just ahead of last-placed West Indies.

Pakistan's fielding woes continued to haunt them in the second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Saturday. Saud Shakeel dropped a regulation catch at fifth slip, giving Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam a lifeline on the first ball of their innings. The missed opportunity drew a visible reaction of disappointment from captain Shan Masood and even the commentators.The incident occurred during the second day of the match, after Pakistan had been bowled out for 274 in their first innings. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the star performer for Bangladesh, claiming a five-wicket haul to restrict Pakistan's total.Shakeel's dropped catch allowed Islam to remain at the crease, and Bangladesh ended the day on 10-0. However, it was Bangladesh's bowlers who had the upper hand throughout the day.Mehidy dismissed Masood for 57 and Saim Ayub for 58, while Taskin Ahmed took 3-57. The duo's efforts helped Bangladesh gain a strong position in the match, despite the dropped catch.The video of Shakeel's missed catch has gone viral on social media, highlighting Pakistan's ongoing fielding struggles. The team has been plagued by dropped catches and misfields in recent matches, which have cost them valuable wickets and runs.Pakistan will need to improve their fielding significantly if they want to level the series against Bangladesh. The third and final Test is scheduled to begin on September 4 in Karachi.

Shoriful Islam, Bangladesh's promising left-arm fast bowler, has been ruled out of the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi due to a groin injury. The injury has put his participation in the upcoming two-Test series against India next month in jeopardy.According to Bangladesh team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan, Shoriful complained of discomfort in his groin after the first Test last week. Subsequent MRI scans confirmed a Grade 1 left adductor strain, which typically requires around 10 days of recovery. Shoriful has already commenced his rehabilitation.Shoriful's absence is a significant blow to Bangladesh, as he played a crucial role in their 10-wicket victory in the first Test. He claimed three wickets and also contributed with the bat, hitting two sixes in his 14-ball 22.Taskin Ahmed has been drafted into the playing XI for the second Test in Shoriful's place. Taskin is making his return to Test cricket after more than a year.Bangladesh's next assignment is a tour of India, where they will play two Tests and three T20Is. The first Test is scheduled to begin in Chennai on September 19.Bangladesh have a busy schedule ahead of them, with two Tests at home against South Africa in October and a full tour of the West Indies in November and December.Shoriful's injury is a setback for Bangladesh, who have already missed his services in 11 Tests since his debut three years ago. However, the team will be hoping that he recovers in time for the crucial series against India.

Pakistan's Test squad for the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh has undergone a significant change, with the release of left-arm fast-bowling spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi. The decision was made to allow Afridi to spend time with his family following the birth of his son, Aliyaar, during the first Test.Afridi's absence from the 12-man squad is a blow to Pakistan's hopes of leveling the two-match series. In the first Test, which Bangladesh won by ten wickets, Afridi claimed two wickets in the first innings but failed to take any in the second. His recent Test form has been inconsistent, with 16 wickets from five Tests at an average of 40.81 since the start of 2023.To fill the void left by Afridi, Pakistan has included left-arm pacer Mir Hamza and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed in the squad. Hamza has played one Test for Pakistan, while Ahmed is yet to make his debut.Pakistan must win the second Test to square the series and avoid a historic first Test series defeat to Bangladesh. However, rain is forecasted for days four and five, which could lead to a draw and hand Bangladesh the series victory.Both teams are currently in the bottom half of the 2023-2025 World Test Championship standings, with Bangladesh at number seven and Pakistan at number eight. Pakistan has not won a home Test match since beating South Africa in December 2021.

Shakib Al Hasan, the star all-rounder from Bangladesh, is set to make a brief appearance in the English County Championship for Surrey before joining his national team for their upcoming tour of India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has granted Shakib a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the match against Somerset, scheduled for September 9 in Taunton.Surrey will be without their England players during that round due to the ongoing Sri Lanka Test series and the start of the Australia white-ball series. Shakib's inclusion will provide a much-needed boost to Surrey's squad.After his stint with Surrey, Shakib will fly to Chennai to join the Bangladesh team for their first Test against India, starting on September 19. The tour will also include two more Tests and three T20Is before Bangladesh returns home for a series against South Africa in October.Shakib's participation in the County Championship comes amidst ongoing legal proceedings in Bangladesh. He is among 147 people charged in connection with an alleged murder during protests in early August. However, the BCB has stated that Shakib can continue playing for Bangladesh as the investigation is still in its early stages.The ECB has the authority to withhold Shakib's registration to play in England even if he is granted a UK visa. However, Bangladesh's Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs adviser, Asif Nazrul, has expressed confidence that Shakib will not be arrested.Shakib's recent performances for Bangladesh have been impressive. He played a crucial role in their historic Test victory over Pakistan in Rawalpindi, taking three important wickets on the fifth day. He is also part of the ongoing second Test, which has been affected by rain.

Ravichandran Ashwin Baffled by Pakistan's Collapse Against BangladeshIndian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his astonishment at Pakistan's dramatic defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test at Rawalpindi. Pakistan's capitulation on the final day, losing for the first time ever to Bangladesh in Tests, has left Ashwin perplexed.Pakistan captain Shan Masood's decision to declare the first innings at 448, despite losing only six wickets, has been a major talking point. On a flat wicket, Bangladesh went on to post a higher total, before Pakistan's batting collapsed in the second innings."Teams don't surrender on a pitch like this. In first-class cricket, strong teams will bat first and hit big," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel. "When I saw the highlights of the match, I understood that it was a proper, tiring collapse on the final day. I haven't seen that for a long time."Ashwin was particularly critical of Pakistan's lower order, who failed to provide any support to Mohammad Rizwan, who was the star of Pakistan's batting throughout the match."In the end, when Mohammad Rizwan was staging a fight, Naseem Shah played a shot and got out cheaply. I did not understand what happened. There was nothing on the pitch," said Ashwin.Former South Africa performance analyst Prasanna Raman, known as 'PDogg', who often joins Ashwin for his videos, was equally scathing in his critique of Pakistan's batting."Bangladesh have no mystery spinners or wrist spinners. There is no threat. If you can't bat for four sessions on a pitch like that at home, it can mean only one thing. Division 1 and Division 2 cricket needs to be brought in. Otherwise, Test cricket in Pakistan will be destroyed," said Raman.Pakistan will have a chance to redeem themselves in the second Test against Bangladesh, which begins on August 30 at Rawalpindi. However, they will need to show a significant improvement in their batting if they want to avoid another embarrassing defeat.

Pakistan's cricket team, reeling from a humiliating defeat in the first Test against Bangladesh, will seek redemption in the second and final Test at Rawalpindi, starting August 30, 2024. The hosts suffered a historic 10-wicket loss in the series opener, prompting a shake-up in the squad.Marquee pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of the second Test due to the birth of his son. Khurram Shahzad or Mohammad Ali is expected to replace him in the lineup.Bangladesh, on the other hand, has received a boost with the inclusion of all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, who was initially doubtful due to an ongoing murder case against him.The second Test will be a crucial encounter for both teams. Pakistan will be desperate to avoid a series whitewash, while Bangladesh will aim to consolidate their historic victory and secure their first-ever Test series win over Pakistan.The match will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, starting at 10:30 AM IST. It will not be telecast live in India, but fans can follow the live streaming on the TamashaWeb app and website.