Pakistan, Bangladesh are currently battling for supremacy in their ongoing first Test of their two-match series, in Rawalpindi. Mohammad Rizwan in sizzling form during the first innings, slamming 171 runs off 239 balls, with Pakistan declaring for 448/6 in 113 overs.
Rizwan's knock also saw him create history as he got the highest individual score by a wicketkeeper-batter in World Test Championship history, overtaking the likes of Jos Buttler, Rishabh Pant and Quinton de Kock.
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Buttler has the second-best knock for a wicketkeeper in WTC history, smacking 152 vs Pakistan in 2020. Meanwhile, Pant has the third-highest with a knock of 146 runs vs England in 2022. South Africa's Quinton de Kock has the fourth-highest, slamming 141* vs West Indies in 2021.
PAK vs BAN Match summary
Rizwan was in fine batting form, and registered a 240-run partnership with vice-captain Saud Shakeel. After a top-order collapse which saw Abdullah Shafique (2) and Shan Masood (6) depart for single-digit scores, and Babar Azam got a two-ball duck. Saim Ayub was the only in-form top-order batter, registering 56 off 98 balls.
{{/usCountry}}Rizwan was in fine batting form, and registered a 240-run partnership with vice-captain Saud Shakeel. After a top-order collapse which saw Abdullah Shafique (2) and Shan Masood (6) depart for single-digit scores, and Babar Azam got a two-ball duck. Saim Ayub was the only in-form top-order batter, registering 56 off 98 balls.
{{/usCountry}}Shakeel and Rizwan's partnership came to the home side's rescue, and it eventually saw them post a huge total. Shakeel hammered 141 runs off 261 balls, packed with nine fours. Meanwhile, Rizwan's knock also saw him clatter 11 fours and three sixes.
Bangladesh trail by 132 runs, having posted 316/5 at Stumps on Day 3. Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim are currently unbeaten with half-centuries. Mushfiqur is at 55* off 122 balls, packed with seven fours. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Litton ended Day 3 with 52* off 58 balls.
Interestingly, Pakistan are not playing a spinner in the first Test match. Explaining the decision, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood said, "The reason we didn't play a spinner was there was grass on the pitch and we thought it would favour the seamers. We were hoping for that. But the three hours the pitch was sunned before the game started on the first day may have made a difference. The wicket dried out; we didn't think it would dry out so quickly, and that made it play differently."