Khurram Shahzad registers best figures by Pakistan pacer at home in last 21 years in absence of Shaheen Afridi

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Pakistan's 24-year-old pacer Khurram Shahzad wreaked havoc on Day 3 of the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh by picking six wickets. In the process, created the record for best bowling figures by a Pakistan pacer at home in the last 21 years.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar registered figures of 6/50 against Bangladesh in Peshawar in 2003. He later picked four wickets in the second innings to complete a 10-wicket haul in the match.

Khurram Shahzad's bowling figures of 6/90 in the first innings of the second Test against Bangladesh is now the best by a Pakistan pacer since Shoaib Akhtar's heroics against the same opposition 21 years ago. Shahzad picked the wickets of Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed.

No form of international cricket was played in Pakistan between 2009 and 2019 after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus. During the period, only Tanvir Ahmed registered a six-fer in any of Pakistan's temporary 'home' venues in the UAE.

Umar Gul is the only Pakistan pacer to take six or more wickets in an innings on Pakistani soil since Akhtar's 6/50 in 2003. He picked six wickets for 135 runs against Sri Lanka in Lahore in 2009. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed (7/114 vs England in Multan, 2022), and left-arm spinner Noman Ali (6/107 vs Australia in Rawalpindi, 2022) are the only two bowlers to achieve the feat.

Pakistan concede advantage on Day 3

Pakistan were reduced to 9/2 at the end of Day 3 play after taking a slender 12-run lead over Bangladesh in the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan batted the last 3.4 overs of the day but ended up losing two wickets. Struggling opener Abdullah Shafique was the first one to depart, before Hasan Mahmud also cleaned the stumps of nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad.

Earlier on Day 3, Bangladesh were reduced to 26/6 courtesy a sensational spell from Khurram Shahzad, but a 165-run partnership between wicketkeeper-batter Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz brought Bangladesh back in the match. Das scored 138 runs off 228 balls, while Miraz scored 78 runs off 124 balls. 26-year-old all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz had scored 77 runs in his only outing in the second Test.

The onus will be on the likes of captain Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan to post a handy second innings total on the board. Bangladesh are eyeing their first-ever Test series win against Pakistan, and are expected to come hard on the hosts on Monday.