Pak vs Ban 1st Test Day 4: Shanto & Mominul Put Bangladesh in Command

DHAKA: Bangladesh finished Day 4 of the first Test against Pakistan in a strong position at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, holding a lead of 179 runs. Despite significant weather delays, the hosts reached 152/3 in their second innings before fading light brought an early end to the day's play.

Shanto and Mominul Anchor the Pursuit

After Day 3, the day was defined by a resilient 105-run third-wicket partnership between captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran Mominul Haque. Resuming the morning at 7/0, Bangladesh faced early pressure when Mohammad Abbas trapped Mahmudul Hasan Joy (5) leg-before. Shortly after, Hasan Ali dismissed Shadman Islam for 10, leaving Bangladesh wobbling at 23/2.

Shanto and Mominul navigated a probing spell from Pakistan’s seamers to guide their side to 93/2 by lunch. During his innings of 56, Mominul Haque achieved the personal milestone of 5,000 career Test runs. Shanto remained unbeaten at the close of play on 58, having scored a century earlier in the first innings.

Weather Frustrates Final Session

Persistent rain and torrential downpours completely washed out the afternoon session, keeping players in the dressing rooms for several hours. When play finally resumed in the evening, Pakistan found a critical breakthrough via Shaheen Shah Afridi, who had Mominul caught behind to end the century stand. However, the light deteriorated rapidly under murky Dhaka skies, forcing the umpires to call for stumps with 50.3 overs bowled. 

Mushfiqur Rahim (16*) joined Shanto to safely see out the final few deliveries.

First Innings Summary

Earlier, Bangladesh had secured a slender 27-run first-innings lead. After posting 413, they dismissed Pakistan for 386. For Bangladesh, off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the standout performer, claiming 5/102. Pakistan’s innings was bolstered by Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman, who shared a crucial 119-run partnership to keep the tourists in the contest.

Innings	Team	Score	Key Performer
1st	Bangladesh	413	Shanto (101)
1st	Pakistan	386	Azan Awais (103)
2nd	Bangladesh	152/3	Shanto (58*)

Match Status: Bangladesh lead by 179 runs with 7 wickets remaining. 

With only one day remaining and a handy lead already established, Bangladesh will likely look to bat aggressively in the opening session of Day 5 to set a target, though further weather interruptions remain a threat to a result.

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