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Mushfiqur 191 hands Bangladesh 117-run lead, and clear advantage ahead of final day

Published

2 years ago

2024/08/25

Priyan

Mushfiqur Rahim completed his 11th Test century [Cricinfo]

Mushfiqur Rahim turned the tables on Pakistan on a hot and humid fourth day in Rawalpindi with an innings of 191 by being a figure of patience, and exhibiting controlled aggression and compact technique. His 11th Test hundred was also his first against Pakistan in the format.

Mushfiqur’s two century partnerships poured water on any hopes the hosts had of taking a first-innings lead at the start of the day. Riding on his knock, Bangladesh first took a sizeable lead of 117 runs by putting up 565, and then adding to Pakistan’s jitters by dismissing Saim Ayub late in the day, with the hosts still trailing by 94 runs with three sessions left in the game.

Bangladesh’s opening bowlers Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud swung the ball beautifully in the ten overs Pakistan had to see through. They drew multiple edges out of which only one carried, beat the edges of the bat consistently, and bowled stifling lines to create several tense moments for Pakistan to concede only 23 runs.

Mushfiqur’s century partnership with Litton Das didn’t last long on Saturday, and when he added another hundred with No. 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, it made Bangladesh only the second team with two century partnerships after the fall of the fifth wicket in a Test innings against Pakistan. Mehidy gave Mushfiqur company in a massive stand of 196 runs for the seventh wicket with his seventh Test half-century – and only his second outside Bangladesh – which first loosened Pakistan’s grip on the game, and then strengthened their own by taking a lead after lunch.

Bangladesh were 316 for 5 and trailing by 132 at the start of the day, which will make Pakistan rue the chances they put down to allow a wicketless second session. Seeing that there was nothing in the pitch for the bowlers, and that Pakistan were without any frontline spinner, the visitors changed gears after a slow first hour.

The only time Mushfiqur came close to getting dismissed in the first session was when Mohammad Ali trapped him in front, on 59, but a review overturned the on-field decision. Ali jagged one sharply into Mushfiqur with the help of movement off the pitch to hit him in front of leg stump. Mushfiqur, however, reviewed with success, with ball-tracking showing the ball missing leg stump. Bangladesh had started the day with all three reviews intact while Pakistan had none left in the bank.

Once Litton edged one behind off Naseem Shah’s short delivery outside off which he failed to get on top of, Mushfiqur hit the pedal – especially against the spinners. Soon after Mehidy, whose technique wasn’t as compact as Mushfiqur’s in the first session, collected fours in consecutive overs off Khurram Shahzad, Mushfiqur raced from 73 to 100 in just 20 balls. He punished Shahzad for two more fours in an over – a deft steer through gully, and a punch through the covers – before also driving Shaheen Shah Afridi straight for four in the next over, to reach 88.

With Bangladesh chipping away at the deficit and Pakistan desperate for wickets, Masood brought on spin from both ends with 12 minutes left for lunch, and Mushfiqur cashed in. He smote Ayub for back-to-back fours, first against the turn over midwicket and then to the long-on boundary to reach 96, and in the next over nudged one to the leg side for two to spark off animated celebrations for his hundred.

In the second session, the temperature had crossed 35 degrees Celsius, Pakistan had bowled over 100 overs already, and it was going to take something extraordinary to take the remaining four wickets quickly. Mehidy looked a lot more assured after lunch, while Mushfiqur continued to play the ball late and right under his eyes to collect runs. Ali soon resorted to a short-ball plan for Mehidy by placing six fielders on the leg side, but his wayward lines failed to create opportunities, and Pakistan moved away from that tactic a bit too soon.

The scant Pakistan crowd at the ground thought Mushfiqur, on 126, was finally gone when he nudged a ball from Agha Salman to square leg, but the ball actually fell just short of Saud Shakeel. Mushfiqur wasn’t deterred though; he then lofted Salman over Shakeel two balls later to bring up the century stand as Bangladesh soon took the lead, and when he reached 140, Mushfiqur had overtaken Tamim Iqbal as Bangladesh’s top scorer in away Tests.

The real chance of dismissing Mushfiqur came after he reached 150, when he tickled the ball down leg where Babar Azam put down a catch at leg slip to his left. Mehidy, meanwhile, moved along to his half-century, and in the last over before tea, Mushfiqur smacked Salman for four over extra cover and then almost for a six to the long-on boundary to further stamp Bangladesh’s authority on the day.

Once Mushfiqur fell in the last session by edging Ali behind just before the third new ball was taken, Shoriful gave his side the kind of attacking and late lift Afridi had given Pakistan, with 22 runs off 14 balls, while Afridi took two of the last three wickets with the new ball to help Pakistan take 4 for 37 and wrap Bangladesh’s lower order up.

Among the Pakistan bowlers, Salman toiled the most by bowling a spell of 24 overs, split by the tea break, which saw 16 overs on the trot in the second session.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 448 for 6 dec and 23 for 1 in 10 overs (Abdullah Shafique 12*, Shan Masood 9*, Shoriful Islam 1-13) trail Bangladesh 565 in 167.3 overs (Mushfiqur Rahim 191, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 77, Litton Das 56; Naseem Shah 3-93) by 94 runs

[Cricinfo]

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Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Monaragala and Mannar districts

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. on 11 March 2026, valid for 12 March 2026.

The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at
some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Monaragala and Mannar districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well.

For further clarifications please contact 011-744649

Latest News

Nahid Rana and Tanzid Hasan complete Pakistan’s demolition in opening ODI

Published

15 hours ago

2026/03/11

Priyan

Nahid Rana walks back with his best figures in ODIs (Cricinfo)

Bangladesh quick Nahid Rana’s maiden five-wicket haul sent Pakistan tumbling to an eight-wicket defeat in the first ODI in Mirpur. Bangladesh completed the 115-run chase in 15.1 overs after they bowled out the visitors for 114. This was’s Bangladesh’s biggest win by wickets and balls remaining against Pakistan.

Tanzid Hasan struck seven fours and five sixes in his unbeaten 42-ball 67, while Najmul Hossain Shanto made 27 with five fours. The pair added 82 runs for the second wicket, as this became the shortest ODI between Bangladesh and Pakistan in terms of total overs bowled.

It was all due to Rana, who had a huge influence in the game in his spell of seven overs. He picked up a wicket in each of his first five overs, as Pakistan sunk rapidly against Rana’s pace and bounce, reminiscent of the last time they came across the fast bowler. Rana had taken four wickets in the Rawalpindi Test in 2024.

In Mirpur, Pakistan had played four debutants, their most since 2008 in ODIs. Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat, among those newbies, added 41 runs for the opening stand before Rana removed Farhan in the tenth over. Farhan made 27 off 38 balls, before hitting a length ball to Afif Hossain at point.

Shamyl Hussain was the next to go, top-edging a Rana bouncer which Litton Das pouched safely. Shamyl was dropped on two at long-off in the previous over, but couldn’t make the chance count. When Sadaqat fell to yet another short ball, Pakistan slipped from 41 for 0 to 55 for three in the 14th over.

There was some hope when the experienced pair Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha got together. Rizwan even struck Rana for a superb boundary, before Rana sucked him into a drive and had him caught behind. Salman’s fall next was emblematic of Pakistan’s dismissals on the day – fending a short ball to short leg, where Tanzid completed a juggling catch.

Rana kept pounding in with thunderbolts for two more overs, creating couple of chances, and also bowling a 148.6kph delivery at Faheem Ashraf.

Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz then took three wickets, while Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman took one each, as Pakistan were shot out in the 31st over. Faheem top scored with 37, adding 32 runs for the tenth wicket with Abrar Ahmed.

Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem began Pakistan’s defence in a wayward manner, conceding five wides in the first two overs before the former dismissed Saif Hassan. Despite the early wicket, Tanzid and Shanto went after the Pakistan bowling, with both the left-handers finding boundaries regularly. Tanzid hit Faheem for two fours in the second over, before Shanto opened his account off his second ball with a crashing drive off Afridi.

Tanzid then struck Mohammad Wasim for a six and four in the sixth over, followed by Shanto hammering Afridi for three fours in the seventh over. Tanzid continued the big-hitting in the next over, going after Abrar Ahmed for two sixes, before Shanto got an edged boundary off Afridi.

Bangladesh were 81 for one after ten overs, their second highest score after the first powerplay in ODIs against Pakistan.

Tanzid struck two more sixes off Abrar and Agha, while reaching his fifty off 32 balls. Shanto then edged Wasim to the wicketkeeper, but that wicket was a mere consolation for Pakistan, who had been thorougly outplayed.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 115 for 2 in 15.1 overs (Tanzid Hasan 67*, Najmul Hosain Shanto 27) beat Pakistan 114 in 30.4 Overs (Faheem Ashraf 37, Shahibzada Farhan 27; Nahid Rana 5-24, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 3-29) by 8 wickets

(Cricinfo)

Latest News

Australia grants asylum to 2 more members of Iranian women’s football team

Published

1 day ago

2026/03/11

Priyan

Iranian players react from the bench during the Women's Asia Cup football match between Iran and South Korea on the Gold Coast, Australia, on March 2, 2026 (Aljazeera)

Australia ⁠has confirmed that two more members of the Iranian women’s football team have received humanitarian visas, after five players were earlier granted asylum over concerns for their safety should they return to Iran, following the team failing to simg their national anthem before a recent match.

A player and a member of the team’s support staff decided ⁠to stay ⁠in Australia after seeking asylum, Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke told reporters on Wednesday.

The pair has now joined five other team members granted humanitarian visas on Tuesday, Burke told reporters.

He said the pair sought asylum before the team departed the country late on Tuesday night, adding that all the women were taken aside individually by Australian officials and interpreters, without Iranian minders present, and offered asylum as they passed through security at Sydney airport.

“They were given a choice,” said Burke, who later posted images of the players on social media.

“In that situation, what we made sure of was that there was no rushing, there was no pressure,” he said.

Burke also said that some people linked to the team were not offered asylum, without providing details. One member of the delegation delayed boarding the departing flight from Sydney while they contacted family members and deliberated about staying in Australia, Burke said.The team’s departure from their hotel in Australia’s Gold Coast and arrival at the domestic airport in Sydney before their international departure took place amid protests, as Iranian Australians sought to prevent the women from leaving the country, citing fears for their safety in Iran.

“We weren’t sure which way that person would go,” he said. “That individual ultimately made their own decision.”

The seven team members who had requested asylum have received temporary humanitarian visas, which is a pathway to permanent residency in Australia, Burke said.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the visas offered to the team members are valid for 12 months and are similar to those granted to applicants from Ukraine, Palestine and Afghanistan.

The team’s departure from their hotel in Australia’s Gold Coast and arrival at the domestic airport in Sydney before their international departure took place amid protests, as Iranian Australians sought to prevent the women from leaving the country, citing fears for their safety in Iran.

Concerns about the players’ safety emerged after Iranian state television labelled the team “traitors” for refusing to sing the ⁠national anthem before their first Asia Cup match in Australia. The team later sang the anthem at other matches.

However, the office of ‌Iran’s ‌general prosecutor said on Tuesday that the remaining members of the team were invited home “with peace and confidence”, Iranian media reported.

“These loved ones are invited to return to their homeland with peace and confidence, and in addition to addressing the concerns of their families,” the general prosecutor’s office was quoted as saying by Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, also urged the players to “come home”.

“To Iran’s women’s football team: don’t worry – Iran awaits you with open arms,” Baghaei wrote on X on Tuesday.

The Iranian team joined the Women’s Asian Cup tournament in Australia, just as the US and ⁠Israel launched their war on Iran, killing the country’s ⁠supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and many senior officials.

At least 1,255 people have been killed in the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has entered its 12th day and has seen devastating air strikes on the capital, Tehran, and other cities, as well as key infrastructure and civilian sites.

The high-profile offer of asylum to the football players also comes as the Australian government has moved to introduce legislation to ban people from certain countries traveling to Australia who authorities fear might overstay their visa due to the war in the Middle East.

According to the ABC, the proposed law would allow the government to stop people from nominated countries entering Australia for up to six months, even if they already have a valid temporary visa.

The Australian Greens party said on Tuesday that the law was “clearly aimed at preventing people from Iran from seeking safety in Australia”.

“We know who this is aimed at by Labor – it’s aimed at the people of Iran, the people of Lebanon, the people of Qatar and the entire Middle East. It is clearly designed to be a Trump-like mass visa freeze,” said Greens Senator David Shoebridge, referring to the governing Australian Labor Party and US President Donald Trump, who has also banned people from certain countries from entering the US.

According to the ABC, the proposed law would allow the government to stop people from nominated countries entering Australia for up to six months, even if they already have a valid temporary visa.

The Australian Greens party said on Tuesday that the law was “clearly aimed at preventing people from Iran from seeking safety in Australia”.

(Aljazeera)