Shanto departs after Lunch as Bangladesh inch closer to victory

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto departed soon after Lunch, getting caught at short leg for 38, as Bangladesh are 127-3, 58 runs away from winning the second Test and taking the series 2-0 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today.
Shanto tried to defend off-spinner Salman Agha on the front foot but ended up hitting it straight to Abdullah Shafique, who took a sharp catch.
The wicket ended the 57-run partnership between Shanto and Mominul Haque, who is batting on 20. Mushfiqur Rahim has now joined him at the middle.
 
Bangladesh go into Lunch on 122-2 on Day 5, 63 runs away from a victory in the second Test and a historic 2-0 series win over Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today.
Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque, unbeaten on 33 and 20 respectively, are holding down the fort after the departures of the openers.
Shanto and Mominul have already added 52 runs for the third wicket, crushing Pakistan’s hope of initiating a collapse after removing openers Zakir Hassan (40) and Shadman Islam (24).
Pakistan pacers Mir Hamza and Khurram Shahzad took one wicket each while Bangladesh made 80 runs in 27 overs in the session after resuming play on 42-0.
Bangladesh are yet to win a Test series against Pakistan.
 
Bangladesh have lost both openers in the morning session as Shadman Islam followed Zakir Hassan to the dressing room after making 24 and the visitors are now two down for 70, still 115 runs away from winning the second and final Test to take the series 2-0 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today.
Shadman, who resumed the day’s play on nine, was dropped on 17 at the slips off the bowling of Mir Hamza but couldn’t make his second life count, departing after chipping the ball to Shan Masood at mid-off off Khurram Shahzad.
Mominul Haque has now joined skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, four, as Bangladesh are in pursuit of 185 to complete a historic series sweep.
 
Zakir Hassan departed after making 40 off 39 balls as Bangladesh lost their first wicket for 58, chasing 185, in the morning session of the fifth day of the second and final Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today. 
Openers Zakir and Shadman Islam had started the day’s play on 42-0, unbeaten on 31 and nine respectively after the day began on time as the forecasted morning rain stayed away.
The pair added 16 runs today and in the process brought up Bangladesh’s first 50-run opening stand in Tests after 16 innings.
Zakir was lucky to survive as he was caught behind on 31, with the ball taking a faint edge off the bottom of his bat against pacer Mohammad Ali, however, none of the Pakistan fielders noticed the deflection or heard the nick and didn’t go up for an appeal.
But he could only add nine runs to his tally before Mir Hamza managed to straighten the ball just enough after pitching on a good length to evade his bat and crash into the stumps.
Zakir’s departure has brought skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto to the middle, who joins Shadman, batting on 16. 
Bangladesh are 127 runs away from ensuring their maiden Test series win over Pakistan.