PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Mehidy Hasan Miraz Fifer Puts Bangladesh on Top Against Pakistan on Day 2

Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed a five-wicket haul to put Bangladesh on top at the end of day 2 of the second Test against Pakistan at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Saturday (August 31).

Mehidy's 10th five-wicket haul in Tests (5 for 61), well supported by Taskin Ahmed (3 for 57), saw the visitors bowl out the hosts for 274 in the first innings before the visiting openers remained unbeaten to finish at 10 for 0 at stumps, trailing by 264 runs.

After the first day's play was washed out due to incessant rains in Rawalpindi, Bangladesh made early inroads after winning the toss and putting Pakistan in to bat first. However, sloppy work in the field and dropped catches allowed Pakistan to recover.

Taksin Ahmed returning to action from an injury, exploited the early moisture on a green-top wicket and hit the top of Abdullah Shafique's stumps in the very first over.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood (57 off 69 balls) and Saim Ayub (58 off 110 balls) evaded early trouble to take Pakistan past 100, but both left-handers fell to Mehidy in quick succession after lunch as Bangladesh picked up four wickets in the session.

Shakeel was undone by Ahmed's short ball and chopped the ball back onto his stumps and Babar Azam's barren run in test matches continued despite the former all-format captain spending nearly two hours at the wicket.

Babar, who hasn't scored a half century in his last 15 test innings, looked scratchy in his 31-run knock before he was trapped leg before wicket on the back foot by Shakib Al Hasan.

Mohammad Rizwan (29) looped an easy catch in the first slip to captain Najmul Hossain Shanto when he got deceived by an awkward bounce of tall fast bowler Nahid Rana as Pakistan slipped to 211-6.

Salman Ali Agha frustrated Bangladesh by compiling 54 off 95 balls as he capitalized on a dropped catch before he had scored. Mehidy completed his five-wicket haul when he had No. 10 Abrar Ahmed stumped as the off-spinner shared the second new ball with Ahmed and wrapped up Pakistan's innings.

Bangladesh reached a nervy 10 for 0 in the two overs before stumps and trail Pakistan by 264 runs. Pakistan also were sloppy in the field as Saud Shakeel dropped a regulation catch of Shadman Islam in the slips cordon off Mir Hamza's first ball.

Bangladesh had an injury scare when Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored 191 in the first test, left the field in the second session as he dived to stop the ball in the outfield and injured his shoulder.

Both teams are languishing in the bottom half of World Test Championship standings with Bangladesh at No. 7 and Pakistan at No. 8, just ahead of last-place West Indies. Bangladesh currently lead the 2-Test series after a historic win in the first Test last week.