Babar hits ton as Pakistan take lead

Shan Masood and Babar Azam scored centuries as Pakistan took firm control of the first test against Bangladesh on Saturday.

Shan Masood hit his second successive test century and Babar Azam capitalised on an early dropped catch.

Lefthanded opener Shan made a fluent 100 off 159 balls before he was clean bowled by leftarm spinner Taijul Islam (1-50) in the penultimate over before tea.

Babar, who was dropped on 2 by Ebadat Hossain, was not out on 113 with 17 fours as Pakistan moved to 271-3 at over 72 in 3rd session on the second day. Pakistan now trails Bangladesh by just 38 runs after the visitors were bowled out for 233 on the first day.

Shan, who scored a century against Sri Lanka at Karachi in December, pulled Rubel Hussain to fine leg for a single just before tea to reach his hundred off 157 balls with 11 fours.

However, in a rare lapse of concentration during his nearly four-hour knock, Shan was clean bowled by Taijul while going for a loose drive soon after after reaching his hundred.

Both batsmen dominated Bangladesh bowlers in a 112-run third-wicket stand after Ebadat misjudged Babars ambitious shot at long off which could have given Taijul his first wicket in only the third over after lunch.

Babar scored centuries against Sri Lanka in the two-test series in December that included a hundred here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. He reached his half century off 71 balls with seven fours on Saturday when he square cut Taijul to the backward point boundary.

Earlier, seamer Abu Jayed (2-35) claimed both wickets in the first session as Pakistan progressed to 95-2 at lunch.

Jayed, by far the best Bangladesh bowler, gave Pakistan an early jolt when he had in-form Abid Ali caught behind without scoring.

Abid, nicknamed Legend by his teammates, had a dream test debut against Sri Lanka in December, scoring centuries in both test matches. But he tried to drive the right-arm seamer away from his body in only the second over of the day and got a thick outside edge to wicketkeeper Liton Das.

Shan and captain Azhar Ali (34) then dominated Bangladesh seamers in a 91-run second-wicket stand with Shan playing some exquisite pull shots and drives. Shan raised his half century off 54 balls with nine fours before Jayed returned and broke the stand by having Azhar caught by the lone slip off a reckless shot.

Dhaka/AKA