PAK vs BAN, 2nd Test: Pakistan's Khurram Shahzad thanked their red-ball coach Jason Gillespie for his brilliant spell against Bangladesh in the second Test match on Sunday. Shahzad rattled Bangladesh's batting lineup and registered figures of 21-3-90-6. He dismissed Mehidy Hasan Miraz and took his first five-for in the longest format.
Due to his brilliant spell, the Shan Masood-led side at one point restricted Bangladesh to 26/6 in 11.3 overs. He had taken two wickets in the series opener and expressed his gratitude to Gilespie for always encouraging him.
“Credit goes to Jason Gillespie for motivating me. He has kept me positive and backed me,” Shahzad told reporters in the post-match press conference.
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But the Shan Masood-led side couldn't maintain their dominance on the opposition batters for long. Miraz and Litton Das stitched a gritty partnership of 165 runs for the seventh wicket and helped Bangladesh bounce back. Mehidy scored 78 whereas Litton brought up his century as he scored 138 runs off 228 balls, in which he had smashed 13 fours and four sixes.
Litton also built a stable partnership of 69 runs with Hasan Mahmood and they were just trailing by 12 runs during the first innings. Shahzad admitted that they allowed the Bangla Tigers to stitch a partnership.
“The surface was a little different, it was more helpful. The rest, such phases come. We took early wickets, but unfortunately, they put on a good partnership,” he revealed.
Shahzad, who made his debut in the longest format against Australia last year talked about his dreams of representing Pakistan in the longest format.
“I want to play Test cricket as long as possible and help Pakistan win as many matches as possible,” he concluded.
At the end of the third day, the Men in Green were leading by 21 runs with eight wickets remaining. Hasan Mahmud dismissed batters like Abdullah Shafique and Shahzad and thus pressurized the hosts.