Ayub, Shakil stand firm after Bangladesh’s brilliant start

Pakistan batters Saud Shakeel and Saim Ayub hit fighting half-centuries to help their team to make a recovery on a rain-hit opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

Earlier, Bangladesh won what could be an important toss and made excellent use of the new ball in favourable conditions to take out three early wickets, but half-centuries from Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel ensured Pakistan ended a truncated first day on an even keel.

After electing to bowl first, Hasan Mahmud delivered the early breakthrough, tempting Abdullah Shafique into a drive, with the resultant edge ending up in the hands of Zakir Hasan who took a fine catch at slip. Pakistan skipper Shan Masood played a classy backfoot drive square of the wicket for the first boundary of the day. But his stay was short-lived as Shoriful Islam had him caught-behind, with Bangladesh making successful use of the DRS.

Masood had a word with the onfield umpire and wasn’t happy with the decision, suggesting perhaps that the spike on UltraEdge was after the ball had passed the bat. Pakistan slipped further as Shoriful dismissed Babar Azam for a duck, getting the premier batter caught down the leg-side with Litton Das taking a stunning catch.

Shakeel started confidently, driving a Nahid Rana delivery past mid off for a boundary while Ayub, who had started watchfully, was beginning to settle in, playing drives and flicks for a few couples. Ayub struck his first four with a cut shot off Mahmud, which was followed by an expensive opening over by Mehidy Hasan Miraz who was swept for a four by Shakeel while Ayub came down the track, made room and went over long-off for a maximum.

The frequency of boundaries increased as the session went on, with the fourth-wicket pair raising a half-century stand in quick time. A stylish on drive off Rana got Ayub another boundary as he entered the 40s and went into the Tea break unbeaten along with Shakeel.

The bowlers weren’t getting any help after the initial period and both Ayub and Shakeel continued their solid partnership after Tea with some good strike rotation and boundaries interspersed. Ayub reached his maiden Test fifty and was looking good for more but the 22-year old went, trying to drive away from his body, ended up edging a Mahmud delivery to slip where Mehidy took a good catch to end a 98-run stand.

A good partnership between Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan ensued, the former bringing up his fifty in the process, as Pakistan went past 150 in the extended period of play before Stumps.