Pakistan 274 and 9 for 2 (Mahmud 2-3) lead Bangladesh 262 (Litton 138, Mehidy 78, Shahzad 6-90, Salman 2-13) by 21 runs.
In an incredible display of resilience, Litton Das' masterful 138, along with Mehidy Hasan Miraz's determined 78, lifted Bangladesh from a dire 26 for 6 to a total of 262, narrowing Pakistan’s first-innings lead to just 12 runs in the second Test in Rawalpindi.
This century marked Litton’s fourth in Test cricket and his first in over two years. He found strong support from No. 10 Hasan Mahmud, who contributed to a crucial ninth-wicket partnership that spanned 149 balls and added 69 valuable runs, frustrating the Pakistani bowlers. Bangladesh ultimately fell just 12 runs short of levelling with Pakistan’s total.
Bangladesh’s impressive fightback continued when they took the ball, with Hasan Mahmud quickly claiming two wickets in just 10 deliveries. Pakistan, now at 9 for 2, were left wondering how the day had slipped away after starting so strongly. Khurram Shahzad had set the tone for the day, capturing his first Test five-wicket haul and finishing with figures of 6 for 90, having torn through Bangladesh’s top order in a fiery spell of 4 for 15 during the first hour. But it was the 165-run partnership between Mehidy and Litton for the seventh wicket that sparked Bangladesh's revival, which continued into the final session.
Resuming after tea at 193 for 8, Litton and Mahmud defied the Pakistan bowlers for more than two hours. Litton shielded Mahmud, taking the majority of the strike and declining singles, allowing Mahmud to face only a few balls. Mahmud held firm, showcasing solid defensive skills and helping Litton reach his century. Despite suffering from severe cramps earlier in the day, Litton managed to reach his milestone with a delicate shot past backward point.
Pakistan eventually broke through when Litton, attempting to take on Salman Ali Agha, mistimed a shot and was caught at long-on. Two balls later, No. 11 Nahid Rana was adjudged lbw after shouldering arms to a straight delivery. In addition to Shahzad’s six wickets, Mir Hamza and Salman each took two wickets, contributing to the dismissal of Bangladesh.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s top order struggled against the new ball, with Shahzad and Hamza wreaking havoc in the first hour. The pair struck six times in just 34 deliveries, swinging the ball sharply and maintaining tight lines. While Hamza created the chances, it was Shahzad who capitalised, claiming three wickets in five balls. His strategy was simple yet effective: target Bangladesh’s left-handers from around the wicket, keeping the stumps in play. This approach paid off as he dismissed Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, and Najmul Hossain Shanto in quick succession.
Hamza then removed Mominul Haque with the first ball of the ninth over, a tame dismissal as the batter chipped a full-length ball to mid-on, leaving Bangladesh at 20 for 4. The situation worsened when Hamza's late movement caught Mushfiqur Rahim, the hero of the first Test, off guard, resulting in a thin edge to Mohammad Rizwan. Shahzad then trapped Shakib Al Hasan lbw, with Shakib’s review proving unsuccessful. At 26 for 6, Bangladesh was staring at the possibility of recording their lowest-ever Test score of 43. However, Litton and Mehidy guided them past this hurdle and many others. With the shine off the ball and the Khurram-Hamza duo out of the attack, the pair dug in and took Bangladesh to lunch without further loss.
After lunch, Litton adopted an aggressive approach, particularly targeting Shahzad. He struck two boundaries in three balls in Shahzad’s third over of the session and followed it up with three consecutive fours in the next. Bangladesh added 40 runs in the first six overs after lunch, with Litton and Mehidy bringing up their 100-run partnership soon after, avoiding the follow-on that had been reduced to a margin of 150 runs due to the washed-out first day.
Litton reached his fifty with a clip towards deep backward square leg, and Mehidy soon followed, reaching his eighth Test half-century. Pakistan’s efforts were further hampered by fast bowler Mohammad Ali leaving the field due to illness.
When Shahzad switched to a shorter length, Litton and Mehidy responded with confident pull shots, both finding success. Litton dispatched Shahzad over deep square leg, while Mehidy sent one over long leg. Shahzad, who had given away just 15 runs in his first seven overs, conceded 58 in his next six but managed to bounce back.
He deceived Mehidy with a fuller delivery, which was chipped back to him for an easy catch, completing his five-wicket haul. Shahzad quickly followed this up by trapping Taskin Ahmed lbw, bringing the tea interval.
Pakistan likely hoped for a quick end to the innings after the break, but Litton and Mahmud had other plans, continuing to resist until the very end.