MIRPUR: Just over 48 overs of play were possible on the penultimate day of the first cricket Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Mirpur, during which the home side extended their overall lead to 179 runs with seven wickets in hand.

Bangladesh, resuming their second innings at seven for no loss with a 27-run first innings lead under their belt, went to lunch comfortably placed at 93 for two, but bad weather wiped out the entire second session. When play resumed in the final session and ended early due to bad light, Bangladesh had moved to 152 for three.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and former captain Mominul Haque were once again Pakistan’s tormentors, adding 105 runs for the third wicket after Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali had picked up one wicket apiece to reduce the hosts to 23 for two. In the first innings, the same two batters had stitched a 170-run third-wicket partnership to help their side post 413 after slipping to 31 for two.

When play ended, Shanto was batting on 58 from 105 balls with six fours, while Haque was out after scoring 56 from 120 balls with four fours.

As in the first innings, both Shanto and Maque had their share of luck. Haque was dropped by Mohammad Rizwan off Salman Ali Agha, while Shanto survived a run-out scare when Shan Masood, fielding at mid-on, was unable to field cleanly that could have created an opportunity.

Pakistan had made a promising start to the day when Abbas trapped Mahmudul Hasan Joy in front at a total of 15, before Hasan Ali identically removed Shadman Islam to the first innings — caught at point — as Bangladesh slipped to 23 for two, leading Pakistan by just 50 runs.

However, Mominul and Shanto repaired the damage once again until Mominul fell to Shaheen Shah Afridi in the final session.

With Bangladesh leading by 179 runs and only one day’s play remaining, rain and bad light have already squandered what promised to be an intriguing and potentially decisive fourth day. With the weather forecast far from encouraging, Bangladesh’s lower order yet to bat and the pitch offering little concern to batters, the prospect of only the third drawn Test in the history between the two sides looms large.

Scores in brief:

1st Test, Mirpur – day four of five. Toss: Pakistan. Bangladesh lead 179

BANGLADESH 413 all-out, 117.1 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 101, Mominul Haque 91, Mushfiqur Rahim 71, Littan Das 33, Taskin Ahmed 28; Mohammad Abbas 5-92, Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-113) and 152-3 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 58 not out, Mominul Haque 56)

PAKISTAN 386 all-out, 100.3 overs (Azan Awais 103, Abdullah Fazal 60, Mohammad Rizwan 59, Salman Ali Agha 58, Shaheen Shah Afridi 13; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-102, Taijul Islam 2-46, Taskin Ahmed 2-70).