
Bangladesh tightened their grip on the second and final Test against Pakistan after putting on a stellar all-round performance on the second day at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
At stumps, the hosts reached 110-3 in their second innings, stretching their overall lead to 156 runs.
Opener Mahmudul Hasan struck a serene 52, while captain Najmul Hossain Shanto remained unbeaten on 13 at close.
Bangladesh had earlier earned a crucial 46-run first-innings lead after dismissing Pakistan for 232.
This was in response to Bangladesh's first-innings total of 278, which was built around Liton Das’s sublime 126 on the opening day.
Fast bowler Nahid Rana and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed three wickets each to keep Pakistan under constant pressure throughout their innings.
Nahid, fresh from his five-wicket haul in Bangladesh’s 104-run win in the opening Test, once again led the pace attack superbly.
He removed Pakistan’s key batter Babar Azam for a team-best 68 before returning later to dismiss the aggressive Sajid Khan and wrap up the innings.
Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz shared the remaining four wickets between them after Pakistan had resumed the day at 21 without loss.
Taskin struck twice in his opening two overs of the morning to put Bangladesh firmly in control.
He first removed opener Abdullah Fazal for 9, forcing an edge behind the wicket, before producing a sharp swinging delivery to dismiss Azan Awais—the centurion from the first Test—who lobbed a catch to short leg after scoring 13.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood and star batter Babar Azam attempted to steady the innings with a cautious 38-run stand.
However, Mehidy broke the partnership when Masood miscued a short delivery to short cover after making 21.
The off-spinner struck again soon after, dismissing Saud Shakeel for 8 to leave the visitors in further trouble.
Babar found support from Salman Agha as the pair added 63 runs to revive the innings.
Babar brought up his 31st Test half-century off 63 balls and looked in complete control after hitting 10 boundaries.
But Nahid produced a clever change of pace to dismiss the former Pakistan captain for 68 off 84 balls, with Babar chipping a catch to veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim.
Taijul then ripped through the middle and lower order, dismissing Salman Agha for 21 before also removing Mohammad Rizwan and Hasan Ali in quick succession.
Sajid Khan counterattacked late in the innings with a brisk 38 off 28 balls, smashing two fours and four sixes, but Nahid returned to end the resistance as Pakistan folded for 232.
In Bangladesh’s second innings, Tanzid Hasan fell early before Mahmudul Hasan and Mominul Haque added 76 runs for the second wicket to extend the lead steadily.
Mahmudul completed his sixth Test fifty before pacer Mohammad Abbas broke the partnership.
Khurram Shahzad then dismissed Mominul for 30 with the final ball of the day, leaving Bangladesh firmly in the driver's seat heading into Day 3.



