Amazing Bangladeshi counterattack is led by Litton Das' magnificent century.

It was Litton Das's second century in an away Test. AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh 262 (Litton 138, Mehidy 78, Shahzad 6-90, Salman 2-13) is down by 21 runs to Pakistan 274 and 9 for 2 (Mahmud 2-3).

In a comeback tale fit for the classics, Bangladesh recovered from a 26 for 6 start to post 262 and limit Pakistan's first-innings lead to just 12 runs in the second Test at Rawalpindi thanks to Litton Das' magnificent 138 and Mehidy Hasan Miraz's assured 78.

Litton scored his first century in almost two years, and it was his fourth in Test matches. Hasan Mahmud, at number 10, provided excellent support as well. He hung around for a ninth-wicket partnership that held Pakistan for 149 balls and added 69 crucial runs as Bangladesh got closer to parity. Finally,

With the ball, Hasan extended Bangladesh's incredible comeback by taking two wickets in ten balls. Pakistan, at 9 for 2, could only ask themselves what if they had started the third day of play so brilliantly. Having achieved his first five-for in a Test match, Khurram Shahzad had established the tone. After destroying the top order of Bangladesh in a blistering 4 for 15 in the first hour of the day, he finished with 6 for 90. However, Mehidy and Litton's 165 runs for the seventh wicket signaled the beginning of the visitors' comeback. In the last session, there was further rearguard activity.

After tea, Litton and Mahmud stopped the Pakistani bowlers at 193 for 8, holding them off for over two hours. With only a few balls for Mahmud to face and a refusal of singles, Litton farmed the most of the strike. Mahmud contributed to Litton's century by using sound defensive technique. With a deft dab past backward point, the wicketkeeper-batter—who had overcome terrible cramping in the second session—reached the milestone.

When Litton misplayed his shot at long-on, trying to take on Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan eventually took the final two wickets. No. 11 Nahid Rana shouldered arms to a straight delivery two balls later and was declared leg before wicket. In addition to Shahzad, Salman and Hamza each contributed two wickets.

In Test cricket, Khurram Shahzad recorded his first five-for. •Associated Press

Before, the top order of Bangladesh appeared naive when facing Shahzad and Mir Hamza of Pakistan. In the first hour, they struck six times in thirty-four balls, swinging the fresh ball through hoops but, more crucially, staying inside their lines.
Though Hamza set up the possibilities, Shahzad took three wickets in five deliveries to secure the victory. He had a really straightforward plan. Always keep the stumps in play and take aim at Bangladesh's left-handers from the area surrounding the wicket. It performed flawlessly.

Zakir Hasan was flipping uppishly for Shahzad, and Abrar Ahmed made a routine catch at the short midwicket region. He dismissed Shadman Islam in his subsequent over, the opener going straight over his stumps and failing to take Shahzad's swing into consideration. After three balls, Najmul Hossain Shanto took his turn to retreat, playing a full ball and finding his middle stump shaken.

Subsequently, Hamza got Mominul Haque to catch the opening ball of the ninth over. The hitter chipped a full-length ball to mid-on, ending the tame dismissal and leaving Bangladesh with a score of 20 for 4. When Hamza finally managed to get a length ball to nibble away, it quickly became 26 for 5, with first-Test hero Mushfiqur Rahim only able to get a narrow edge through to Mohammad Rizwan. After that, Shahzad trapped Shakib Al Hasan, who misplayed and was declared out of bounds. Shakib checked again, but it didn't help.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz increased his lead in this game by fifty to five, as reported by the Associated Press.

Bangladesh's lowest Test score of 43 appeared vulnerable at 26 for 6. However, Mehidy and Litton guided them over that obstacle as well as numerous others. After the ball lost its sheen and the Khurram-Hamza duo was removed from the attack, the two batters settled in and effectively shut off Bangladesh's chances of more damage.

After the break, Litton adopted a more assertive stance. He was especially harsh on Shahzad, taking him for two fours in three balls in the third over of the session, and then hammering him for three fours in the next over, while Pakistan was still down by 199 runs. Following lunch, Bangladesh amassed 40 runs in the first six overs. Not long later, Litton and Mehidy established a century-run partnership for the seventh wicket.

With a cut towards deep backward square leg, Litton hit fifty, and Mehidy also reached his ninth Test half-century quickly. The fact that fast bowler Muhammad Ali left the field due to illness did not benefit Pakistan.

Litton and Mehidy took Shahzad on with the pull shot and did a respectable job of it when he elected to go short. While Mehidy got inside the line and produced the similar effect over long leg, Litton whacked the fast bowler over deep square leg. Shahzad scored 58 runs from his following six overs after scoring just 15 from his opening seven overs. However, he was able to recover.

With a wider ball that he threw back to the bowler, he tricked Mehidy. After taking five wickets in this manner, Shahzad promptly added a sixth when he trapped Taskin Ahmed in front of the stumps, signalling the end of the tea break.

After the break, Pakistan would have expected the innings to finish quickly, but Mahmud and Litton had other ideas.