Sports Desk:

Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Liton Das dragged Bangladesh back from the brink with a resolute seventh-wicket stand after the visitors had lost six wickets in 9.3 overs in the first 40 minutes of play on Sunday morning.

Miraz (33*) and Liton (13*) took the Tigers to 75 for six at lunch after at one stage they were 26 for six, looking at a massive first-innings deficit.

It also helped that two right-handed batters were at the crease together, which helped negate the inswing to the left-handers from Khurram Shahzad and Mir Hamza.

Pakistan were bowled out for 274 on the second day, with Bangladesh finishing 10 without loss at stumps. The first day’s play was washed out by rain.

Since the first day’s play was completely washed out, Bangladesh will have to score at least 125 to avoid follow-on, not the regular 199-run deficit applied for five-day matches.

First hour: Bangladesh 36 for six after 13 overs

Bangladesh made a dreadful start to the third day’s play in the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Sunday, losing six wickets for 36 runs after the first hour’s play.

Having survived two overs overnight, the Bangladesh batters looked uncomfortable right from the beginning against the movement from Mir Hamza and Khurram Shahzad – the two pacers operating with a fairly new ball.

They pitched the ball in the right areas and got it to swing both ways, with the left-handed batters especially showing lack of application in dealing with the swing.

Zakir Hasan, who lived a charmed life, was the first to fall for 1 off 16 deliveries, offering a simple catch at short mid-wicket against Khurram.

While Hamza was desperately unlucky to see two catches go down off his bowling in the innings, it was Khurram who was reaping the rewards from the other end.

He bowled Shadman Islam around his legs for 10 before getting rid of Najmul Hossain Shanto (4) with a similar inswinger.

Hamza finally got some reward when he induced a catch off a slower delivery against Mominul Haque (1) as the Tigers, who had won the first Test at this venue by 10 wickets, were already looking down the barrel.

Mushfiqur Rahim (3) was the next to fall, edging a rising delivery from Hamza to the wicketkeeper before Shakib Al Hasan (10) was given lbw for the fourth wicket for Khurram.