2nd Test: Bangladesh v Pakistan at Chittagong, 16-20 Jan 2002 CricInfo Live Report

2nd Test: Bangladesh v Pakistan at Chittagong, 16-20 Jan 2002
Shahryar Khan

Pakistan 1st innings: Stumps - Day One,
Bangladesh 1st innings: Lunch - Day 1, Innings break,

TAUFEEQ AND YOUNIS PUT PAKISTAN IN DRIVER’S SEAT

Batsmen Younis Khan and Taufeeq Umar helped Pakistan to reaffirm their domination over Bangladesh before stumps were drawn at the end of day one. The two put on 87 runs off 27.3 overs as the visitors reached 99 for one in reply to Bangladesh’s very modest 148.

Earlier, Umar and his opening partner Shahdab Kabir had started cautiously against Manjural Islam and Mohammmad Sharif, the new ball bowlers for Bangladesh.

Left-handed Shahdab, who took two spectacular catches at silly point on Wednesday, though was not destined for glory with the bat. Sharif, bowling with increased vigour and pace, got him to nick one to ‘keeper Khaled Masud who did the rest.

Shahdab’s departure for four meant that Pakistan were 12 for one at that stage. Umar, however, found an able ally in Younis Khan. The Pakistan opener dismissed the loose balls to the boundary as a rather quiet but approving Khan looked on. It was not long before Khan too joined the party. He slammed eight boundaries and caught up with Umar in the dying stages of the day. Both remained not out on 47 each as Pakistan reached a healthy position at stumps.

SAQLAIN AND KANERIA RIP THROUGH BANGLADESH

Danish Kaneria and Saqlain Mushtaq ripped through the Bangladesh middle-order soon after lunch to bowl out the hosts for 148 in 56.4 overs. Saqlain was the first to strike, removing Habibul Bashar for 2 as he did Javed Omar before lunch, forcing the batsman to give a catch to Shadab Kabir at silly point.

In three overs, Kaneria got into the act, clean bowling Mehrab Hossain, who had been batting patiently. Mehrab’s 66-ball innings ended when he played a back-foot shot, only to drag the ball on to his stumps. He scored 16, featuring a solitary boundary.

Aminul Islam and Sanwar Hossain took the score to 85 before Saqlain struck once again. Sanwar failed to fend off a delivery that trapped him in front of his leg-stump, and the umpire had no hesitation in turning down the loud Pakistani appeal.

Left-hander Enamul Haque, after defending 10 vicious deliveries, presented Kaneria his second wicket as Yousuf Youhana snaffled a simple catch at short square-leg. He left for a duck, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 85 for 6.

Amidst the ruins, Aminul Islam and skipper Khaled Masud built a 27-run run partnership between them, helping their side pass the 100-run mark. The Pakistani spin duo, meanwhile, was at the batsmen's throats all the time, setting attacking close-in fields.

Aminul lost his wicket on 112, completely beaten by Kaneria when he was on 27. The right-handed Aminul played the leg-side delivery on the front foot, but the ball took a thin edge and flew to the silly-point fielder.

Fahim Muntasir, top-scorer in both innings at Dhaka, struck two fours off Kaneria, but he could not take the pressure off. In the following over, the leggie forced Muntasir to play at a delivery outside off-stump. The ball took sharp turn and, kissing the bat, was pouched by Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Masud was, by this time, virtually fighting a lone battle. Mohammed Sharif was the next to go off Saqlain, who witnessed his partner take three wickets consecutively. Sharif was enticed by Saqlain to dance down the wicket, only to miss the ball. Wicket-keeper Rashid Latif was fast in clipping the bails off to complete a good stumping.

Saqlain ended with a five-wicket haul when a frustrated Khaled Masud went for a lofted shot that saw him caught by Taufiq Umar at deep mid-wicket.

SLOW FIRST-SESSION FOR BANGLADESH

Bangladesh captain Khaled Masud won the toss and elected to bat first in the second and final Test against Pakistan at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, the port city of Bangladesh. The decision was relatively easy to make, since the surface was dry and flat. The spinners will look for some assistance from the pitch from the third day.

Both teams went in for a single change to their teams from the first Test at Dhaka. Javed Omar Belim replaced Mohammed Ashraful in the Bangladesh side, while Shoaib Akhtar came in for an injured Wasim Akram.

The Bangladesh debutant had a shaky start to his Test career when, in the very first ball of the day off Waqar Younis, a swinging delivery hit his pad. Pakistan appealed loud and long, but to no avail.

Al-Sahariar was beaten outside the off-stump by a deceptive Shoaib delivery in the following over, offering a catch to Younis Khan at first slip who dropped it. He celebrated his luck by driving the very next ball to the mid-wicket fence for a four.

But the opener continued to be vulnerable to deliveries pitched up and swinging outside the off-stump and soon paid the price. Waqar dismissed him for 13 with the score on 21, caught behind nicely by Rashid Latif.

Following the loss of Al-Sahariar, Mehrab Hossain and Javed Belim continued in cautious vein for the first hour. Only 50 runs came off 22.4 overs, and the run-rate dropped especially when Pakistan operated with spin at both ends.

Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq removed Belim just before lunch, in his second over of the match, when the batsman, deceived by the steep bounce, offered a catch to Shadab Kabir at silly point. Belim departed on 17, facing 89 balls in his patient innings. Bangladesh went in to lunch at 57 for the loss of two wickets.