Bangladesh stare at follow-on as Pakistan smell blood after Sajid 6-for

Sajid Khan has spun through Bangladesh’s batting order with a maiden six-wicket haul to put the hosts in danger of a follow-on after Pakistan declared on 300 for four on the penultimate day of the Dhaka Test.

Heavy downpour allowed 63.2 overs of play, which is a significant improvement over nearly-washed out Day 2 and 3 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Pakistan lost the wickets of Babar Azam (76) and Azhar Ali (56) early in the day but Mohammad Rizwan (53) and Fawad Alam (50) paired in a century stand before the tourists declared with a day and a half in hand.

With little time in hand to secure full World Test Championship points, Pakistan sidelined their seamers and began with spinners, and Sajid responded by blitzing the top order.

He began with the wicket of debutant Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who fell for a duck after attempting to take the fight to the bowlers. Shadman Islam (3) followed for a catch at point to Hasan Ali, who then ran skipper Mominul Haque (1) out.

After surviving a close lbw shout, Mushfiqur Rahim (5) swept Sajid straight to Fawad at short midwicket. Sent ahead of Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das (6) also tried to attack the bowlers but departed for a return catch as Bangladesh slipped to 46 for five.

Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who rode on two reprieves to reach 30, was Sajid’s fifth scalp. As Shakib (23 not out) freed his arms to up the scoring rate, Sajid went through the gates of Mehidy Hasan Miraz for a duck.

Shakib and Taijul Islam then saw through 32 deliveries before the umpires called for stumps due to bad light with Bangladesh still trailing by 224 runs in their first innings.

Earlier, Bangladesh began the day with seamer Khaled Ahmed grabbing his maiden Test wicket of Babar in the second over of the day before Ebadot Hossain took out Azhar.

Rizwan and Fawad then stitched up an unbroken 103-run stand as Pakistan declared as soon as the latter reached his half-century.

Rizwan survived three close calls - dropped on 30 and overturning two leg-before decisions on review.