Thanks to a brilliant hat-trick by Naseem Shah, Pakistan ended the 3rd day in a commanding position played at Rawalpindi Stadium on Sunday.
Starting on the overnight score of 342 for 3, it was a perfect start for Bangladesh as Abu Jayed dismissed well set Babar Azam in the 2nd over of the day. Abu Jayed and Ebadat Hossain troubled Haris Sohail and Asad Shafiq. Hossain got the 2nd wicket dismissing Asad with a ball that took the inside edge which put Pakistan under pressure. Mohammad Rizwan played some lovely shots before playing a poor stroke off Rubel Hossain. Taijul Islam was bought into the attack and Sohail took the advantage of the bad bowling. Sohail looked confident with his stroke play while Yasir struggled to score runs. Haris Sohail reached his fifty off 72 balls. Rubel Hossain dismissed the wicket of Yasir Shah with a review by Bangladesh captain as the umpire gave it out and the decision was upheld. Yasir and Haris added 41 runs for the 7th wicket. At lunch, Pakistan were 420 for 7.
After the lunch break, Rubel Hossain immediately got the wicket of Shaheen Shah Afridi with a review by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Haris Sohail attacked Bangladesh bowlers with aggressive approach while Mohammad Abbas played with solid defence. Trying to hit a big shot, Sohail was dismissed for well made 75. Naseem Shah was the final batsman to be dismissed with run out by Saif Hassan from gully. Pakistan were bowled out for 445 in the first innings with a lead of 212 runs.
In their 2nd innings, Tamim Iqbal looked in sublime touch with aggressive stroke play and took on Pakistani bowlers. Saif Hasan dismissed for 0 made the batting look easy. As things looked easy for Bangladesh, Naseem Shah produced a beauty to dismiss Saif Hasan. Bangladesh openers added 39. Tamim made the batting look easy and created pressure on Pakistani bowlers. At tea break, Bangladesh were 51 for 1.
Yasir Shah was bought into the attack right after tea break and got results immediately dismissing Tamim Iqbal with a good delivery. Najmul Shanto and Mominal Haque played with positive intent to put pressure on the Pakistani bowlers. Both made the batting look easy which rescued Bangladesh innings. Naseem Shah then turned the tables on Bangladesh by taking an hat-trick getting wickets of Najmul, Taijul and Mahmudullah to become youngest bowler to pick a Test hat-trick. Shanto and Mominal added 71 runs. Before the stroke of stumps, Yasir Shah dismissed Mohammad Mithun to put Bangladesh in big trouble at 126 for 6.
Bangladesh 233 in 82.5 overs (Mohammad Mithun 63, Najmul Shanto 44, Shaheen Shah Afridi 4/53) and 126 for 6 in 45 overs ( Najmul Shanto 38, Mominal Haque 37*, Naseem Shah 4/26, Yasir Shah 2/33) trail Pakistan 445 in 122.5 overs (Babar Azam 143, Shan Masood 100, Haris Sohail 75, Asad Shafiq 65, Abu Jayed 3/86, Rubel Hossain 3/113 ) Bangladesh 233 in 82.5 overs (Mohammad Mithun 63, Najmul Shanto 44, Shaheen Shah Afridi 4/53) 86 runs.
