A topsy-turvy opening day in Sylhet was highlighted by the ‘keeper-batter’s superb rearguard hundred
Bangladesh climbed off the canvas on day one of the second Test in Sylhet to hit back against Pakistan thanks to a fighting 126 from wicketkeeper Litton Das.
Leading 1-0 in the two-match series, the hosts slipped to 6-116 midway through day one after being sent in, before Litton’s sixth Test hundred took them to 278.
In reply, Pakistan made it to stumps without loss, reaching 0-21 after six overs.
Earlier, their new-ball pair Mohammad Abbass and Khurram Shahzad had done the bulk of the damage, as a mini-collapse of 3-10 in the Bangladesh middle order looked to be turning the day’s proceedings in favour of the visitors, who for the first time are on a run of three consecutive defeats to their subcontinental rivals.
But Litton’s fightback was an aggressive one. The right-hander hit 16 fours and two sixes and rattled along at a strike-rate of almost 80 to swing the momentum back the way of his side.
Pakistan’s frustration would have doubtless been compounded by the news they had been fined 40 per cent of their match fee and penalised eight ICC World Test Championship points for maintaining a slow over-rate against in the first Test at Mirpur in Dhaka, which they lost by 104 runs.
The penalty pushes Pakistan down to eighth on the WTC table, ahead of only West Indies, though they have played just three Tests in the window.
Bangladesh meanwhile, sit in sixth spot, ahead of England.
