Pakistan on Thursday regained control after Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan dug deep to build on yesterday’s comeback with both batters scoring centuries on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Coming on the field today, the duo continued the team’s innings from 158-4 after Wednesday’s setback wherein the national side lost back-to-back wickets but managed to make a comeback courtesy of Shakeel and Saim Ayub’s 98-run partnership.

Playing sensibly, the duo kept scoring runs while making sure to not lose their wickets as they continued on after lunch with the score at 256-4.

A day earlier, Shakeel and Ayub played gritty innings before the latter was dismissed in the 32nd over. The batter reached his first Test 50 in his third innings, scoring 56 off 98 balls which included four fours and a six.

Shakeel carried on with Rizwan and took Pakistan to a respectable position at the end of the day. Rizwan remained unbeaten on 24 at stumps.

For Bangladesh, Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud picked two wickets each.

With the score at 304-4 in 82 overs Shakeel (109*) and Rizwan also inching closer to scoring a century (116*), the Green Shirts will be aiming to capitalise on the duo’s partnership.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali, Khurram Shahzad

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana