Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes Show Fighting Spirit for Bangladesh Against Pakistan

When Bangladesh finally bowled out Pakistan for 628 on the fourth day of the first Test in Khulna, the hosts found themselves behind by 296 with more than five sessions left in the game.

However, at the close of play, the home side found themselves in a vastly improved position of 273 without loss, with openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes having notched a century apiece.

It puts Bangladesh in a much stronger position than they have been in for the previous three days of the game and means they are in line to secure a draw.

Not only that, Iqbal and Kayes have shown incredible resolve and heart, while they also went about cutting their deficit and moving toward the draw in a very different way.

The two batsmen put on their runs in just 61 overs, an astonishing run rate of 4.47 runs per over, far above what a team battling for a draw would do.

Furthermore, neither batsman looked like they would be removed from the crease, with Iqbal only coming close as he had two appeals against him for leg before wicket turned down.

Both found the boundaries regularly on a docile pitch that seems to be offering less and less for the bowlers as the game has gone on.

They combined for seven sixes and 28 fours, and with Bangladesh now behind by just 23 runs with all 10 wickets remaining, the home side are in a very strong position.

It could have been so different earlier in the day, when Pakistan were finally dismissed for a mammoth score of 628, having resumed on 537 for five.

As the visitors began the fourth day, they looked to be aggressive and score quick runs so they could give themselves as much time as possible to bowl Bangladesh out.

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When they were eventually out, Pakistan could reflect on an innings that saw Mohammad Hafeez score a double-century, with four other players scoring half-centuries of their own.

In the past, perhaps Bangladesh would have crumbled under the pressure of having conceded such a deficit to a talented Pakistan team, even on their home turf.

However, both opening batsmen finished unbeaten for the day, with Iqbal on 138 not out and Kayes on 132 not out.

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There is still plenty of time left in the game, and it will still be challenging for the hosts to bat out the game for a draw.

They will require more of the same tomorrow from their batsmen, and cannot afford to allow their opponents to gather any momentum with the ball.

However, they will take great heart from their openers’ efforts, which broke Bangladesh’s record for highest opening partnership and highest partnership for any wicket in terms of runs scored.

If the hosts are to come away from this game unscathed ahead of the second Test in Dhaka next week, they will need to continue this effort.

Based on Iqbal and Kayes, they are certainly capable of doing just that and have shown real fight to overturn what could have been a very tall order indeed.