Bangladesh 27 runs to the good, ten wickets still in the bank, two full days ahead – that was the simple scoreboard story when stumps were pulled in Mirpur. The deeper tale, though, is more tangled, and even Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the man of the moment, was happy to admit as much.
“We still have two days remaining in the Test, but the situation is fifty-fifty at the moment since we didn’t take a big enough lead,” he said after claiming 5 for 102, his first Test five-for in more than a year. “We have to bat responsibly, as you never know what score is safe in the Mirpur wicket. I think we should get a lead close to 300 runs at least. The wicket may be harder to bat on the fourth and fifth day. Our batters have to show responsibility.”
That note of caution felt about right. Pakistan had begun the third morning in cruise control at 179 for 1 and crept to 210 for 1 before a flurry of four wickets for 20 changed the tone entirely. It was proper team bowling: Taskin Ahmed thumped out centurion Azan Awais and skipper Shan Masood, while Mehidy’s off-spin removed Saud Shakeel and youngster Abdullah Fazal.
Yet cricket turns on small details. Taskin, on comeback after nearly two years away from the format, overstepped when he kissed the outside edge of Salman Agha’s bat. The chance was taken behind the stumps, arms went up, only for the dreaded replay to show a no-ball. Agha was nought from 13 then; he walked off 58 richer, having stitched a 119-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan that pulled Pakistan to 389 and trimmed Bangladesh’s advantage to 27.
“Partnerships can happen in cricket,” Mehidy reflected. “We certainly had the opportunity by putting them under pressure during that time. Unfortunately, there was a no-ball. If it wasn’t a no-ball, it would have been a different scenario. After a batter gets a life, he gets into a different mindset. I still think we came back well with the ball. We bowled well, and even dominated them on many occasions. Our bowlers should get the credit.”
There was plenty of it to go round. Mehidy’s spell included dip, drift and the odd one that held its line, all subtle variations rather than mystery balls. Taskin, meanwhile, clocked lively pace and tightened the screws from the other end. “I thought Taskin bowled well today,” Mehidy said later. “He made life easier for me at the other end, particularly when Pakistan were losing quick wickets [before lunch]. He was not giving away too many runs, so we had a strong bowling partnership.”
It helped that seamers Hasan Mahmud and the tireless Ebadot Hossain – back after rehab on that troublesome knee – chipped in with pressure spells. The combined effort meant Pakistan never sniffed a first-innings lead.
For Mehidy personally, the return to wicket-taking form matters. Across three Tests against Ireland and Sri Lanka last season he managed only five wickets. Even in one-day cricket he had been living off economy rather than breakthroughs. “I didn’t have a lot of confidence when I was bowling in the ODIs against Pakistan and New Zealand recently. I worked a lot on my bowling, so my confidence grew. I think I am an effective bowler even when I am not taking regular wickets. Test cricket gives you a lot more opportunities, as you get a lot of time to maintain yourself as a bowler.”
Bangladesh closed on 7 without loss, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan negotiating the final four overs after tea without alarm. The hosts know that early Monday nerves – the brisk morning start can be tricky in Dhaka – could undo plenty of good work. Equally, another solid session could push the target towards that 300-mark Mehidy mentioned, a number that felt both realistic and, on this surface, potentially decisive.
The match, then, sits where the best Tests often do: both sides fancying their chances, neither in control. The next set of small moments will decide which dressing room is smiling come Tuesday.
