Pak vs Ban 1st Test Day 3: Azan Awais Century & Mehidy's Five-Fer

DHAKA: Bangladesh seized back control of the opening Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, overcoming a record-breaking debut century from Pakistan’s Azan Awais to leave the match on a knife-edge at the end of Day 3.

Awais Etches Name in History

After an impressive Day 2, the morning session belonged to the 21-year-old debutant Azan Awais. Resuming the day at 85 not out, Awais reached his maiden Test century in the fifth over of the morning with a composed single off Nahid Rana. He became the 14th Pakistani batter to score a hundred on Test debut and only the third to achieve the feat against Bangladesh. His gritty 103, featuring 14 boundaries, provided a stable platform as he shared a century stand with fellow debutant Abdullah Fazal.

The Mid-Day Collapse

The tide turned sharply following the first hour of play. Bangladesh’s pace spearhead Taskin Ahmed and spin wizard Mehidy Hasan Miraz sparked a dramatic collapse that saw Pakistan slump from a comfortable 210/1 to a precarious 230/5. Taskin Ahmed broke the resistance by inducing an edge from Awais Awais to first slip. Mehidy Hasan Miraz then dismantled the middle order, dismissing Abdullah Fazal for a well-made 60, followed by the quick wickets of captain Shan Masood (9) and Saud Shakeel (0).

Rizwan and Salman Lead the Fightback

Faced with a mounting deficit, the experienced Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha initiated a counter-offensive. The duo stitched together a 100-run partnership that guided Pakistan through the afternoon session. Both batters reached half-centuries, with Rizwan playing with his characteristic aggression to narrow the first-innings gap. However, Bangladesh’s persistence paid off in the final session. Mehidy Hasan Miraz returned to complete a masterful five-wicket haul (5/102), eventually bowling Pakistan out for 386. Despite the lower-order resistance, Pakistan fell 27 runs short of Bangladesh's first-innings total of 413.

Stumps Day 3 Summary

Bangladesh's openers, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shadman Islam, safely navigated a brief and tricky 1.5-over period before fading light brought an early end to the day's play. Bangladesh ended the day at 7/0, extending their overall lead to 34 runs.

Match Summary - End of Day 3	Score
Bangladesh (1st Innings)	413 all out
Pakistan (1st Innings)	386 all out
Bangladesh (2nd Innings)	7/0 (1.5 overs)
Current Status	Bangladesh leads by 34 runs

Bangladesh will aim to set a target in excess of 250, while Pakistan’s bowling unit must strike early to keep their hopes of a victory alive.