RAWALPINDI: Mushfiqur Rahim recorded the highest individual score by a Bangladesh batter in Pakistan and helped push his team into the lead in the first Test in Rawalpindi on Saturday.
The 37-year-old was unbeaten on 173 for his 11th Test century, defying the Pakistan pace attack as Bangladesh reached 495-6 at tea.
The visitors are now 47 runs ahead of Pakistan’s first innings total of 448-6 declared, and have an outside chance of capturing their first win over Pakistan.
Bangladesh have lost 12 of 13 Tests against Pakistan, with one draw.
Mushfiqur overtook the previous highest individual score of 119 by Javed Omar, scored in Peshawar in 2003, and was lucky to get a life on 150 when Babar Azam dropped him off Salman Agha at leg slip.
Mushfiqur has so far struck 20 boundaries and a six in a marathon eight-hour, 10-minute knock, setting a Bangladesh record of 163 for the unbroken seventh wicket with Miraz in all Test cricket.
The previous record of 145 was set by Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyadh against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2010.
The Rawalpindi pitch continued to support batting as Bangladesh lost only Liton Das (56) in the two sessions, with Mushfiqur anchoring the batting.
He added 114 for the sixth wicket with Liton to lift Bangladesh.
Before Liton’s dismissal, Pakistan thought they had Mushfiqur leg-before by pace bowler Mohammad Ali but umpire Richard Kettleborough’s verdict was overturned on review when the replay showed the ball missing leg stump.
Mushfiqur, then on 59, went on to hit two boundaries off both Khurram Shahzad and Saim Ayub before reaching the three-figure mark.
Resuming at 316-5 Bangladesh lost Liton in the ninth over of the day when Naseem Shah’s short delivery caught an edge and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan took an easy catch.
Liton added just four to his overnight score of 52, hitting eight boundaries and a six.
For Pakistan, Shahzad (2-81) and Naseem (2-92) were the pick of the bowlers.
The second and final Test will also be played in Rawalpindi, from August 30.
Mushfiqur’s epic gives Bangladesh lead over Pakistan in first Test
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Mushfiqur’s epic gives Bangladesh lead over Pakistan in first Test
- The 37-year-old was unbeaten on 173 for his 11th Test century, defying Pakistan pace attack
- The Bangladesh side is now 47 runs ahead of Pakistan’s first innings total of 448-6 declared
Pakistan seeks wider access to Canadian market as both sides want deeper agricultural cooperation
- Islamabad urges faster certification for canola and halal products in a bid to expand agricultural exports
- Canada pledges collaboration on pest management, invites Pakistan to the Canada Crops Convention
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday pressed for improved access to Canadian agricultural markets and faster certification procedures for key exports as Islamabad looks to modernize its climate-strained farm sector and resolve long-standing barriers to trade, according to an official statement.
The push comes as Pakistan, a largely agricultural economy, faces mounting challenges from erratic weather patterns, including floods, droughts and heatwaves, which have hurt crop yields and raised food security concerns. Islamabad has increasingly sought foreign partnerships and training to upgrade farm technology, while pursuing export-oriented growth to diversify markets for mangoes, rice, kinnow, dates and halal meat.
Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain and Canadian High Commissioner Tarik Ali Khan met to discuss “strengthening bilateral collaboration in agriculture, enhancing market access for key commodities, and advancing ongoing phytosanitary and technical cooperation,” according to the statement.
“Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain stressed the importance of resolving market access challenges to ensure uninterrupted trade in priority commodities, particularly canola, which constitutes Pakistan’s major agricultural import from Canada," it continued. "He highlighted that Pakistan seeks robust and timely certification and registration processes to facilitate predictable canola imports."
"The Minister emphasized that Pakistan is eager to strengthen its halal export footprint in Canada and sought CFIA’s [Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s] support in accelerating certification procedures for halal gelatin, casings, and value-added poultry," it added.
High Commissioner Khan acknowledged Pakistan’s concerns, the statement said, and assured Hussain of Ottawa’s readiness to deepen technical collaboration.
He also briefed the minister on Canada’s pest management systems and grain supply chain controls, adding that his country looked forward to facilitating Pakistan’s plant protection team during an upcoming systems-verification visit.
Khan also invited Pakistani officials to the Canada Crops Convention in April 2026 and confirmed participation in the Pakistan Edible Oil Conference, reaffirming that “Canada views Pakistan as a priority partner in the region.”
Hussain proposed forming a joint working group to maintain momentum on technical discussions and regulatory issues as both officials agreed to strengthen agricultural cooperation.
