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 stocks plunge in record one-day fall as selling pressure grips market
- KSE-100 sheds 6,683 points, steepest drop in its history
- Foreign selling, thin Ramadan trading volumes deepen rout
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s benchmark stock index posted its sharpest single-day decline on Thursday, as heavy selling by foreign investors and financial institutions triggered a broad market rout amid reduced trading activity during Ramadan.
The KSE-100 index closed at 172,170, down 6,683 points, after falling as much as 7,205 points intraday in a session marked by extreme volatility and persistent selling pressure, according to market data.
The selloff came as investors remained cautious in the face of continued foreign corporate outflows, while local insurance companies also emerged as major sellers, further weakening sentiment and accelerating losses.
“Carnage was witnessed at the local bourse as the KSE-100 Index suffered its steepest single-day fall in history,” brokerage Topline Securities said in a market note, adding that institutional selling intensified the downward momentum.
“Persistent foreign corporate selling continued to dampen sentiment and keep investors on the sidelines.”
Trading hours shortened for Ramadan also contributed to sharp price swings, as thinner volumes amplified market moves and reduced liquidity.
Major index-heavy stocks including Fauji Fertilizer Company, Engro Holdings, United Bank Limited, Oil & Gas Development Company, Pakistan Petroleum Limited and Meezan Bank led the decline, collectively wiping more than 2,100 points off the benchmark.
Overall activity remained subdued, with total trading volumes recorded at 542 million shares and turnover at Rs27.36 billion ($97.6 million ). WorldCall Telecom led the volumes chart with over 84 million shares traded.
Analysts said the combination of institutional selling and limited participation heightened volatility, leaving investors wary in the near term.
