Azan Awais produced a composed and impressive performance on his Test debut as Pakistan national cricket team strengthened its position against Bangladesh national cricket team on Day 2 of the Test match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The young opening batter remained unbeaten on 85 at stumps, guiding Pakistan to 179/1 in reply to Bangladesh’s first-innings total of 413.
Despite still trailing by 234 runs, Pakistan finished the day in a promising position with most of their batting lineup intact.
Azan Awais anchors Pakistan innings
Chasing a sizeable first-innings total, Pakistan’s openers showed positive intent from the start.
Azan Awais and Imam-ul-Haq attacked the Bangladesh pace bowlers confidently, finding boundaries regularly and frustrating the home side.
The pair raced past the 50-run mark without loss by tea as batting conditions remained favorable in Dhaka.
Pakistan continued to dominate during the final session before Bangladesh finally broke through when Mehidy Hasan Miraz dismissed Imam-ul-Haq for a well-made 45.
Azan, however, remained unfazed and continued to score fluently, keeping Pakistan’s momentum intact.
Fazal supports Azan with unbeaten stand
Fazal Mahmood initially started cautiously before accelerating later in the innings.
He finished unbeaten on 37, sharing an important partnership with Azan Awais to ensure Pakistan ended the day strongly.
The unbeaten stand kept Pakistan firmly in contention despite Bangladesh’s strong first-innings total.
Mohammad Abbas leads Pakistan bowling effort
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s bowlers made a strong comeback after Bangladesh resumed in a commanding position.
Veteran pacer Mohammad Abbas starred with the ball, producing disciplined bowling to claim a five-wicket haul.
Abbas removed key batters and consistently troubled Bangladesh with accurate lines and movement off the pitch.
Shaheen Shah Afridi also played a crucial role by dismissing experienced batter Mushfiqur Rahim, who top-scored with a gritty 71.
Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 413 after Pakistan cleaned up the tail efficiently.
Bangladesh lose momentum after strong start
At the start of Day 2, Bangladesh appeared set for an even bigger total as Mushfiqur Rahim continued his resistance alongside lower-order contributions.
However, Pakistan’s bowlers dominated the post-lunch session and shifted momentum back in their favor.
The dismissals of Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz further hurt Bangladesh’s hopes of pushing beyond 450.
Rain threat looms over Day 3
While the match remains finely balanced, weather conditions could play a major role in the upcoming sessions.
Rain and thunderstorms are forecast for Day 3 in Dhaka, raising concerns over possible interruptions.
Play is scheduled to resume at 4:00 AM GMT on May 10, with Pakistan aiming to reduce the deficit further and Azan Awais hoping to convert his memorable debut innings into a century.