Masood and Babar counter-attack after Bangladesh strike early blows

Tea Pakistan 232. 200 for 5 (Masood 71, Babar 47, Nahid 2-43, Taijul 2-62) need another 237 runs to beat Bangladesh 278 and 390

Bangladesh are five wickets away from a historic series win after they punctured key holes through Pakistan 's middle order in the second session on day four. Shan Masood and Babar Azam resisted through a bright 92-run partnership, with Masood leading the way with 71.

But Pakistan needed much bigger contributions to retain any hope of victory,. Bangladesh got rid of both batters, in addition to Saud Shakeel, before the session was out. Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan offered some resistance, adding an unbeaten 38-run partnership until tea. But with another 237 runs still to win for Pakistan. it feels very much like the last stand in impending defeat.

Masood and Babar picked up from the morning session, and looked better than perhaps any Pakistan batter has all series. Babar took on the pace bowlers while Masood found himself increasingly comfortably against spin. A little nudge to long-on brought up the Pakistan captain's first half-century this series.

But following that fleeting moment of triumph for Pakistan lay disaster again. With no bowler appearing to trouble Babar, Taijul sent one down leg that he looked to flick carelessly. But he only got a faint bit of bat on as Litton held on to a sharp catch. Babar looked on in utter disbelief. even if that is a dismissal he has been susceptible to in red-ball cricket of late.

The momentum of the session swung decisively the hosts' way when Shakeel. Masood fell within six balls of each other. A fuller delivery from Nahid Rana induced Shakeel into edging behind,. it was Masood's dismissal that looked to have finally sealed Pakistan's fate. Taijul drew a little bit of extra bounce from the surface. with Masood's flick towards leg hanging in the air briefly. Mahmudul Hasan Joy, stationed at short leg, grabbed on sharply, and another Pakistan collapse appeared on the cards.

For the final 45 minutes of the session, though, Agha and Rizwan held it at bay. They continued to prioritise brisk run-scoring. with Agha slapping Taijul for two boundaries in an over, before Rizwan dealt the same treatment out to Nahid in a furiously quick over. In the session's final over. Pakistan's 200 was up, though it only served to remind the visitors they weren't even halfway through the 437 Bangladesh had set them.

In the morning, Bangladesh removed the Pakistan openers relatively early. Abdullah Fazal. Azan Awais held out for the first half an hour, but Bangladesh had kept the run-scoring to a minimum. The first breakthrough came. perhaps unsurprisingly, through Nahid, who banged in a short ball that Fazal's attempt to turn towards gully only found the fielder, who scooped his hands underneath it just before it touched the ground.

While Pakistan saw off the remainder of Nahid's spell, Mehidy Hasan Miraz inflicted another damaging blow, getting one to carry on with the line to Awais. hit him on the front pad. The opener's anguished review failed to save him.

To Pakistan's credit. the prospect of being run through by Bangladesh quickly did not deter them from continuing to be proactive. Off his first ball, Babar got a top edge that flew over the slips for a boundary. Masood, who had begun conservatively, began to come out of his shell, targeting Taskin Ahmed,. picking up three gorgeously timed boundaries off him to get himself up and running.

Mehidy. meanwhile, was unfortunate not to get Masood's outside edge with a lovely delivery earlier, instead finding gaps through a packed cover region.

A punched boundary off the back foot from Babar off Taijul brought up the 50-run partnership. with the last six overs before lunch producing 46 runs. It allowed Pakistan to go into the break with a glimmer of hope. one that extended to the first half hour beyond, only for Bangladesh to conclusively kill it off with three quickfire blows.