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The second Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh saw a resurgence of the Bangladesh spinners, continuing their dominance from the first Test. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the star spinner for Bangladesh, took a remarkable five-wicket haul, playing a pivotal role in restricting Pakistan to a total of 274 runs on Day 2. This performance followed Bangladesh's impressive victory in the first Test, where their spinners were instrumental in dismantling the Pakistani batting lineup.
The day began with Taskin Ahmed providing Bangladesh with an early breakthrough, dismissing Abdullah Shafique for a duck. However, skipper Shan Masood and Saim Ayub steadied the ship, forming a crucial partnership. But Bangladesh fought back, with Mehidy dismissing both Masood and Ayub after they had scored their respective half-centuries. This collapse left Pakistan reeling at 151/4. All eyes then turned to Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan, the two key batsmen, to help Pakistan regain momentum.
Babar Azam, whose form has been struggling of late, looked in good touch initially, scoring 31 runs off 77 balls. But he once again failed to convert his start as Shakib-al-Hasan dismissed him, leaving Pakistan in a precarious position. Agha Salman and Rizwan then faced a difficult phase as Bangladesh dominated the second session, with Nashid Rana dismissing Rizwan. Pakistan found themselves in deep trouble at 211/6. However, Salman, displaying aggressive batting, brought up his seventh half-century and helped to stabilize the innings.
Mehidy continued his excellent form, dismissing the remaining tailenders and ending the day with figures of 61/5 in 22.1 overs. Despite Pakistan's struggles, their day wasn't completely devoid of worry. Mushfiqur Rahim, a key batsman for Bangladesh, suffered a shoulder injury while attempting to stop a four in the 53rd over. This injury caused concern, especially after his match-winning performance in the first Test where he scored a brilliant 191 runs. With the series finely balanced, Bangladesh will be hoping for a quick recovery from Rahim. The slow over rate, with Bangladesh bowling just 55 overs in four and a half hours, also posed a concern for the team.
Pakistan, with a young bowling attack and having opted to rest Naseem Shah and drop Shaheen Shah Afridi, will be hoping to make a comeback on the third day. The match is set to be a thrilling contest with both teams vying for victory. The performance of the spinners, especially Mehidy Hasan Miraz, will continue to be a key factor in deciding the outcome of the match.