Rain halts Bangladesh's bid for a Test victory after Hasan and Nahid crush Pakistan – Sport

Pacers Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana shared nine wickets between them on Monday to put Bangladesh on course for victory over Pakistan before play was suspended due to rain on the fourth day of the second Test.

Hasan took 5-43 and Nahid added 4-44 – both career-best figures – to bowl Pakistan out for 172 in the second innings, setting the visitors a target of 185 to secure a 2-0 series win in Rawalpindi.

Openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam ran out 42 without loss – with Zakir hitting two sixes and two boundaries – before rain clouds gathered and bad light halted play for an over after the tea break.

Bangladesh lead the two-match series 1-0 after a surprise win in Rawalpindi last month, their first in 14 Tests against Pakistan.

They have won only two series away from home – against West Indies in 2009 and Zimbabwe in 2021 – and need another 143 runs on the final day on Tuesday to secure victory.

Pakistan were 117-6 at lunchtime, with Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha batting to save the hosts from embarrassment before Hasan ended their 55-run stand.

He had Rizwan caught on 43 and Mohammad Ali out for a golden duck on the next ball, leaving Pakistan reeling at 136-8.

Salman, who top-scored with 47, added 27 for the last wicket with Mir Hamza before Hasan closed the innings with his fifth wicket, getting Hamza trapped in slip.

The morning session belonged to 21-year-old Nahid, who took out Shan Masood (28), Babar Azam (11) and Saud Shakeel (2) in an express bowling session.

Friday's rain-affected friendly saw the first day's matches cancelled, but Sunday saw a remarkable comeback from Bangladesh.

The visitors responded to Pakistan's 274 in the first innings with 26-6 before Liton Das (138) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78) put on a seventh-wicket partnership of 165 to enable Bangladesh to reach 262.

Pakistan reached their score of 9-2 to 47-2 in 10 overs on Monday before Bangladesh broke through with a series of three wickets for 18 runs.

Saim Ayub fell to 20 after a brilliant catch from Najmul Hossain at mid-off as the opener failed to stop a drive from fast bowler Taskin Ahmed.

Nahid then had Pakistan captain Masood caught behind after a wild drive from Liton before taking the valuable wicket of Azam in his next over, who was caught in slip after a sharp delivery.

Nahid grabbed his third by removing Shakeel and went into the lunch break with the score at 3-22 from five overs.