Bangladesh vs Pakistan
Opener Saif Hassan ruled out of Dhaka Test due to fever
Bangladesh right-handed opener Saif Hassan will miss the 2nd Test against Pakistan due to fever, confirmed the media department of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Wednesday. The second and final Test against touring Pakistan is all set to begin on December 4 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. In the first Test in Chattogram, Bangladesh lost by a big margin of eight wickets despite some wonderful efforts from Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim and Taijul Islam.
READ: Can Shakib inspire Bangladesh to draw the series against Pakistan?
Pakistan’s Abid Ali, Shaheen Afridi and Hassan Ali performed superbly to humble the Tigers who have recently been struggling in all formats of the game. Saif Hassan failed to impress with the bat in two T20Is he played, and in the Chattogram Test too he continued with his bad patch. Bangladesh have announced a 20-member squad for the Dhaka Test including a new face- Mohammad Naim. The left-handed batter had done nothing remarkable in the First-class matches he has played. It was not clear what inspired Bangladesh selectors to call him to the Test squad. With Saif’s omission, the size of the squad came down to 19. Bangladesh now have three uncapped players in their Test arsenal— Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Shohidul Islam, and Mohammad Naim.
READ: World Peace Conf: A friendly cricket match held in city With this series, Bangladesh started the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship. In the previous cycle, Bangladesh played seven Tests and lost six matches and drew one.
Can Shakib inspire Bangladesh to draw the series against Pakistan?
Bangladesh fought hard all the way to the end despite losing the first Test to a high-flying Pakistan side, something they have lacked in recent international matches. The second match of the series will commence on Saturday, December 4 at the SBNCS in Mirpur. Shakib Al Hasan, as well as pacer Taskin Ahmed, will be available for the second Test. Shakib’s presence will certainly affect the outcome of the contest. Shakib Al Hasan's likely impact in the upcoming BAN vs PAK 2nd Test 2021 is discussed in this article.
How can Shakib Al Hasan make an impact in the second Test?
Shakib Al Hasan was unable to play in the first Test match due to a hamstring injury. He went for a fitness test and passed it on Monday. Therefore, the selectors picked Shakib for the final Test. They also selected top-order batsman Mohammad Naim and bowler Taskin Ahmed, who was forced out of the first encounter owing to a finger injury.
Mohammad Naim's selection was the most unexpected, considering he is primarily known as a limited-overs specialist batter. It would be interesting to see if he replaces Saif Hasan or Shadman Islam in the next game. Because Naim's first-class track record isn't exactly great. He only averaged 16.63 in six first-class outings. It's really unclear what criteria the selectors apply to choose a player.
Read: Tigers humiliated at home as Pakistan seal Chattogram Test
Given Bangladesh's first-match performance, two changes appear to be inevitable for the second Test. Shakib Al Hasan will most likely replace Yasir Ali or one of the openers, while Taskin Ahmed may likely replace Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi.
Shakib Al Hasan's primary goal in the match will be to strengthen Bangladesh's middle order. In the opening match, Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das were among the leading run-scorers. So, Shakib's inclusion will bolster the middle-order. Bangladesh team management will be expecting a more consistent performance from the batsmen in the presence of veteran Shakib.
However, Shakib will have a greater influence in the bowling department. Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz looked sturdy against Pakistan's batters in the first match of the series. Adding Shakib Al Hasan would provide more variety and luxury for skipper Mominul Haque when it comes to rotating the bowlers. Shakib has a stellar record at the Mirpur ground along with Mehidy and Taijul. The three can cause havoc on Pakistan's batting lineups with their spin bowling diversity.
Read World Peace Conf: A friendly cricket match held in city
Top 3 most wicket-takers at the SBNCS, Mirpur (Test format)
Player
Match
Wickets
BBI
BBM
Ave
Econ
5W
Shakib Al Hasan
17
63
6/59
10/153
31.20
2.97
7
Taijul Islam
9
52
8/39
9/81
23.09
2.98
2
Mehidy Hasan Miraz
6
41
7/58
12/117
17.02
2.90
5
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
BAN vs PAK 2nd Test 2021: Second Match Venue Stats
The Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Mirpur will host the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
2nd Test Venue: SBNCS, Mirpur
Test Matches Played: 21 | Bat-first (won): 11 | Bat-Second (won): 7 | Highest Individual Innings: 226 (Azhar Ali) | Best Bowling Figure (Match): 12/117 (Mehidy Hasan Miraz) | Highest Team Innings: 730/6d | Lowest Team Innings: 110
Bangladesh’s Test record (SBNCS): Win: 6 | Lost: 12 | Draw: 3
Pakistan’s Test record (SBNCS): Win: 2 | Lost: 0
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Bottom Line
On paper, Pakistan will be the favourite in the BAN vs PAK 2nd Test 2021 match. The visitors will be under less pressure heading into this encounter because they have taken a 1-0 series lead. Pakistan will win the series with a draw in the second Test. However, Pakistan would face serious criticism if they lose the contest. Therefore, they will play the game with the aim of whitewashing the home team.
Read: ICC Ranking Update: Nabi catches up Shakib
Bangladesh can impede their momentum by crafting a perfect strategy for this match. Moreover, the presence of Shakib Al Hasan would motivate the Bangladeshi team to achieve their goal in the competition. Overall, the Pakistan tour of Bangladesh 2021 could finish in a closely contested match.
Shakib, Taskin return to Bangladesh Test squad for 2nd Pakistan match
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 20-member squad for the second of the two-match Test series against Pakistan which is set to begin on December 4 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed have made a return to Tests after recovering from leg and hand injuries.
BCB called left-handed batter Mohammad Naim to Tests for the first time. He played a total of six First-class matches and scored 183 runs at an average of 16.63 with only a fifty.
Read: BAN vs PAK Test Series 2021: Key Takeaways from the Series-Opening match
Bangladesh have lost the first Test by eight wickets in Chattogram.
Before the Test series, Bangladesh took on Pakistan in three T20Is and lost all of those matches.
Bangladesh squad for 2nd Pakistan Test: Mominul Haque (Captain), Shadman Islam, Saif Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Abu Jayed Rahi, Nayeem Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Khaled Ahmed, Shohidul Islam, and Mohammad Naim.
BAN vs PAK Test Series 2021: Key Takeaways from the Series-Opening match
Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 8 wickets in the morning session of the first Test at Chattogram's Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Tuesday (November 30). Bangladesh showed a true fighting spirit in this encounter despite missing a number of important players. The Bangladesh Men's National Cricket Team's performance in this match was by far the best since they resumed international cricket in January of this year. Let's look at some of the key points for Bangladesh from the first match of the BAN vs PAK Test series 2021.
First Match Report: BAN vs PAK Test Series 2021
Bangladesh scored 330 runs in their first innings after batting first. Liton Das made the highest 114, followed by Mushfiqur Rahim with 91. Bangladesh set up a respectable total in the first innings thanks to a 206-run stand between Liton and Mushfiqur in the fifth wicket. Pakistan's right-arm bowler Hasan Ali took the highest five wickets.
Read: New Zealand ekes out dramatic draw in 1st test against India
In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 286 runs, falling 44 runs short of Bangladesh's first innings total. Pakistan openers, Abid Ali (133) and Abdullah Shafique (52) put on a 146-run first-wicket stand, laying the foundation for the innings. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took the most wickets in the innings with seven.
Bangladesh were bowled out for 157 runs in their second innings after taking a 44-run lead. Liton Das scored the most runs with 59, while Pakistan bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi took the most wickets with 5. Pakistan achieved the 202-run total with the loss of two wickets in the first session of day 5. Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique made a strong opening stand once again. Pakistan's triumph was made easier by their 151-run partnership. Abid Ali was named player of the match for his contributions with the bat in this match.
Read Tigers humiliated at home as Pakistan seal Chattogram Test
Key Takeaways for Bangladesh in the BAN vs PAK 1st Test
A few players of Bangladesh performed really well in this encounter. Their efforts helped the host to put up a strong fight against Pakistan in the first Test of the series. The following are the important takeaways from the encounter for Bangladesh.
Liton and Mushfiqur reclaim their batting form
Prior to this match, Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim had a dismal run of form on the international stage. They were even dropped for the T20I series against Pakistan after a poor showing at the T20 World Cup 2021. However, the selectors have put their faith in both senior players for the Test series, and they have rewarded their faith by playing two responsible knocks in the first innings. Their 200-run partnership helped Bangladesh to a lead over Pakistan in the first innings. Liton scored his first century in Test cricket, while Mushfiqur Rahim amassed more than 90 runs. Liton played another solid knock in the second innings. Bangladesh will play two Test matches against New Zealand following this series, thus both players have regained their form at the right moment.
Read: Ballon d'Or 2021 Winner: Lionel Messi wins the coveted award record seventh time
Excellent spin bowling of Taijul Islam
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam has evolved into a major transformation for Bangladesh over the years. His ability to take wickets, particularly at home, has been outstanding. Pakistan's biggest concern was Taijul Islam in the first Test. Therefore, he bowled over 40% of Bangladesh's overs in the first innings, picking up 7 wickets. Shakib Al Hasan is expected to play in the second Test, and if he does, Bangladesh's spin attack will be even more potent.
Taking the game till the fifth day
Bangladesh rarely play until the fifth day of a Test match against tougher opponents. They generally lose Test matches on the third or fourth day of the contest. However, Bangladesh managed to complete 13 of the 15 sessions in the first match against Pakistan. This means Bangladesh made it to the fifth day of the game, which is a major accomplishment. Bangladesh will regularly create opportunities to win matches in the near future if they can carry the game till the fifth day. Bangladesh have a better record at the SBNCS, Mirpur in comparison to other domestic grounds. So, they can beat Pakistan in the second Test if they play to their best ability.
Read World Peace Conf: A friendly cricket match held in city
Way Forward
Bangladesh fought hard as a team and made it to the fifth day of the match. The players' performances in the first match of the BAN vs PAK Test series 2021 were promising enough. They can put up an even better display in the second match, which begins on December 4. More significantly, Shakib Al Hasan is expected to play in the second Test match of this series. So, Bangladesh have a decent chance of upsetting the visiting Pakistan team in the tour's last match if they play as a unit.
Chattogram Test: Bangladesh set a target of 202 for Pakistan
Bangladesh ended up their second innings on 157 and set a target of 202 for Pakistan in the Chattogram Test on Monday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
Liton Das hit 59 and Yasir Ali 36 for the hosts in the second innings. Yasir was doing well before getting a nasty blow on his head off Shaheen Afridi’s bouncer that stayed low.
Read: New Zealand 79-1 at lunch on 5th day, chasing 284 to win
The batter had to leave the field for a hospital and go for a quick scan that showed no worrying sign. To replace Yasir, Bangladesh added Nurul Hasan Sohan to the squad as a concussion substitute.
After Yasir left the field, Mehidy Hasan came in to bat and posted 11 while Nurul, the substitute, scored 15 off 33 balls.
Bangladesh had lost four wickets for 39 runs at the end of day three. They added 118 runs losing the last six wickets on day four.
Bangladesh had a lead of 44 runs in the first innings, in total, they got a lead of 202 runs.
Read: Bangladesh add Sohan in Chattogram Test as concussion replacement of Yasir
Shaheen bagged five wickets conceding 32 runs in the second innings of Bangladesh. In the first innings, it was Hassan Ali, Shaheen’s bowling partner, who did the same.
In the first innings of the match, Bangladesh scored 330 riding on the maiden hundred of Liton and 91 of Mushfiqur Rahim. In reply, Pakistan scored 286 thanks to Abid Ali’s 133.
Bangladesh add Sohan in Chattogram Test as concussion replacement of Yasir
Bangladesh added Nurul Hasan Shohan to the playing XI of Chattogram Test as a concussion replacement of debutant Yasir Ali who suffered a blow on his head early on day four of the ongoing Test against Pakistan. Yasir walked off the field after the drink break I the first session of day four. Mehidy Hasan Miraz came to bat after Yasir went back with a blow.
Read:BAN vs PAK 1st Test 2021: The fate of the match could decide on day four Shortly after, Bangladesh announced that Nurul Hasan is included in the playing XI as the concussion replacement. It was a delivery of Shaheen Afridi that stayed low but Yasir judged it wrongly. The ball hit back of head. Yasir showed ‘thumbs up’ to indicate that he is fine. But since it’s a blow on head, he was called back and sent to hospital for a scan. According to ICC law, in the cases of concussion replacement, a team can field a ‘like-for-like replacement’, meaning a bowler can replace a bowler, and a batter can replace a batter.
BAN vs PAK 1st Test 2021: The fate of the match could decide on day four
Day 3 could have been Bangladesh Men's Cricket Team's best day in 2021 if they hadn't lost four wickets in the last session. However, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam rose to the occasion and took 7 Pakistan wickets in the first innings, delighting Bangladesh cricket fans. Pakistan were knocked out for 286 runs in their first innings thanks to his outstanding bowling effort. Bangladesh gained a 44-run lead in the first innings. Let's look at the likely outcomes of the BAN vs PAK 1st Test 2021.
The Match Scenario of BAN vs PAK 1st Test 2021
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam gave Bangladesh the much-needed breakthrough in the opening session of day three. He struck twice in the over, in the fifth and sixth balls respectively. Pakistan suddenly found themselves at 146/2 after a brilliant performance by the openers on day 2. Pakistan lost two more wickets before lunch, leaving them with 203 runs for the loss of four wickets.
Taijul Islam wreaked havoc on Pakistan's batters after the lunch break, picking up four more wickets in the mid-session. Pakistan's innings came to an end just before Tea, leaving them 44 runs shy of Bangladesh's first-inning total (330). Taijul Islam took 7 wickets for 116 runs in 44.4 overs. The lone centurion Abid Ali scored 133 runs.
Read New Zealand trails India by 280 runs after day 4 of 1st test
Bangladesh's openers had shown some promise when they came into bat in the second innings, but Afridi's accuracy finally rocked the top order. On the other hand, Hasan Ali removed the skipper Mominul Haque, Bangladesh finished day three with a score of 39/4. At the end of the day's play, Mushfiqur Rahim (12*) and Yasir Ali (8*) were still undefeated.
The match's potential outcomes
Bangladesh failed to defend 394 runs earlier this year against the West Indies on this very ground. As this result indicates, the batting may become easier during the final two days. However, this type of record-breaking pursuit is rarely observed. Batting on the final two days is always difficult on any surface in the world.
Bangladesh batters should aim for a 250-run lead in the third innings in order to put pressure on Pakistan's batters. Mushfiqur Rahim, Yasir Ali, and Liton Das will all have to bat for at least two full sessions on day four to achieve this. Bangladesh have a good chance of upsetting Pakistan in this match if they can do that.
Read T10 Cricket on Nov 30 marking World Peace Conference
On the other hand, Pakistan will seek to finish Bangladesh innings in the opening session of Day 4, and they have a good chance of doing so. If Pakistan can keep Bangladesh to under 150 runs, they would be in a strong position to win the match on day 4.
However, the possibility of the match ending in a draw is fairly slim. Bangladesh will have to bat until the last session of the day and the Pakistani team will thereafter bat defensively.
Bottom Line
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan have a fair chance in the first Test. Bangladesh team has made a tremendous comeback in the match because of spinner Taijul Islam's outstanding bowling effort. He will be a key player for the host in Pakistan's second innings. However, batters must deliver in the second innings before Taijul can work his magic with the ball. They must bat deep to put a competitive total on the board so that bowlers can feel confident in their ability to bowl against Pakistan batters. There could be a lot of twists and turns on the fourth day of the match. The team with the most patience stands a higher chance of winning the BAN vs PAK 1st Test 2021.
Read Chattogram Test: Shaheen puts pressure back on Bangladesh
NTAC recommends travel ban to contain new variant Omicron
The National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 has recommended a travel ban to Bangladesh from the countries where the new variant of the virus Omicron has spread.
The recommendation was made at the 47th meeting of the committee on Sunday, said Dr Mohammad Shahidullah, president of the NTAC in a press release.
Read:South African scientists brace for wave propelled by omicron
The committee also recommended institutional quarantine for travelers who have traveled to the countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, in the last 14 days.
The NTAC also called for setting up screening at all ports of entry and asked to avoid public gatherings.
Moreover, they recommended arranging Covid-19 tests free of cost to encourage people to get tested more frequently.
Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world raced Friday to contain a new coronavirus variant potentially more dangerous than the one that has fueled relentless waves of infection on nearly every continent.
Read: Britain tightens COVID rules as world on alert over omicron
A World Health Organization panel named the variant “omicron” and classified it as a highly transmissible virus of concern, the same category that includes the predominant delta variant, which is still a scourge driving higher cases of sickness and death in Europe and parts of the United States.
Chattogram Test: Shaheen puts pressure back on Bangladesh
Despite securing a 44-run first-innings lead in Chattogram Test on Sunday, Bangladesh are struggling at the end of day three as Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi picked up three quick wickets in the third session.
At stumps on day three, Bangladesh are leading by 83 runs with six wickets in hand. They were batting at 39 for four with Mushfiqur Rahim and debutant Yasir Ali remaining unbeaten for 12 and 8 respectively.
Read:Chattogram Test: Tremendous Taijul scalps 7 to wrap up Pakistan for 286
Shaheed bowled six overs in the last session of day three and bagged three wickets conceding only six runs.
Two of Bangladesh top order batters— Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque, suffered a duck each while the other one, Shadman Islam, posted only a run. And, two of them were removed by Shaheen while Hassan Ali scalped the other one.
It was Mominul’s first duck after 13 innings. Bangladesh captain contributed only six in the first innings of the match.
Saif Hassan, who failed to do anything in the first innings, came up with a 34-ball 18 but failed to continue on a good start despite having some animated advice from the veteran Mushfiqur in the middle.
Mushfiqur and Yasir spent the last 40 minutes of the day to ensure no further setback for the hosts.
Read:Chattogram Test: Taijul bags three, Abid Ali hits a ton
Before Bangladesh squandered the advantage in the final session of the day, they wrapped up Pakistan for 286. Taijul Islam, Bangladesh’s only specialist left-arm spinner in this match, bagged seven wickets to bowl out Pakistan from 146-0 to 286.
Abid Ali was the best batter for the visitors hitting 133 while the debutant Abdullah Shafique scored 52.
Earlier, Bangladesh posted 330 in their first innings after deciding to bat first, with Liton Das hitting his maiden ton in Tests, and Mushfiqur Rahim coming up with a well-composed 91. For Pakistan, Hasan Ali bagged five.
Chattogram Test: Tremendous Taijul scalps 7 to wrap up Pakistan for 286
Taijul Islam, the left-arm Bangladesh spinner, scalped seven wickets in the Chattogram Test against Pakistan on Sunday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
It was a dramatic turnaround for Bangladesh as they wrap up Pakistan for 286 all out from 146 for none. Pakistan lost all of their wickets in 140 runs that were notched up in two sessions of day three.
Read:Chattogram Test: Taijul bags three, Abid Ali hits a ton
Bangladesh ensured a 44-run lead at the end of Pakistan’s first innings. Bangladesh set to begin their second innings after the Tea of day three.
Taijul conceded 116 runs to take 7 wickets with a two-ball two-wicket at the start of the day. It was his second-best bowling in a Test innings. He also has an eight-wicket haul conceding only 39 runs against Zimbabwe in 2014. And overall, it was the ninth occasion when Taijul bagged five or more wickets in a Test innings.
In the first session of the day, Bangladesh bagged four wickets with Taijul taking four, and in the post-lunch session, they scalped the other six wickets to all-out Pakistan.
Read:Axar Patel's 5-62 gives India 63-run lead on day 3 vs NZ
Abid Ali posted the highest of 133 for Pakistan while debutant Abdullah Shafique scored 52. But the next four batters contributed only 23 runs with Azhar Ali suffering a duck.
Earlier, Bangladesh posted 330 with Liton Das hitting his maiden ton in Tests, and Mushfiqur Rahim came up with a well-composed 91. For Pakistan, Hasan Ali bagged five.