Mehidy Hasan Miraz Declares Mirpur Test ’50-50′ After Brilliant Five-Wicket Haul
A Balanced Battle in Mirpur
As the Mirpur Test enters its pivotal fourth day, the tension remains palpable. Bangladesh allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz has described the current state of the game as a classic ’50-50′ encounter. The hosts concluded the third day holding a slender 34-run lead with all ten wickets intact in their second innings, setting the stage for an intriguing finale.
The Challenge Ahead
Despite the positive position of being ahead in the match, Mehidy remains grounded regarding the challenges of the surface. “We still have two days remaining in the Test, but the situation is 50-50 at the moment since we didn’t take a big enough lead,” he noted during his post-match media briefing. The pitch is expected to deteriorate further, making scoring significantly more difficult on days four and five. Mehidy emphasized that the Bangladesh batting lineup must take full responsibility to build a cushion, ideally targeting a lead near 300 runs to secure a defendable total.
The Turning Point
The third day began with Pakistan in a dominant position at 179 for 1. However, a spirited fightback from the Bangladesh bowling attack shifted the momentum. Bangladesh claimed four wickets for just 20 runs, with Taskin Ahmed and Mehidy leading the charge. Taskin proved instrumental, dismissing the centurion Azan Awais and captain Shan Masood, while Mehidy removed Saud Shakeel and Abdullah Fazal to rattle the opposition middle order.
Reflecting on Opportunities
While the hosts managed to restrict Pakistan to 389, conceding a small first-innings lead of 27, there were moments of what could have been. Taskin Ahmed came agonizingly close to further disrupting Pakistan’s rhythm but was undone by a no-ball when he induced an edge from Salman Agha. Agha, who was on 0 at the time, went on to score a crucial 58, forging a 119-run partnership with Mohammad Rizwan. Mehidy acknowledged the setback but chose to focus on the positives: “Partnerships can happen in cricket. We certainly had the opportunity by putting them under pressure. If it wasn’t a no-ball, it would have been a different scenario. I still think we came back well with the ball.”
Praise for the Bowling Unit
Mehidy reserved special praise for Taskin Ahmed, who was making his return to Test cricket for the first time since the 2024 tour of the West Indies. The allrounder highlighted the importance of their bowling partnership, noting that Taskin’s ability to bowl tightly from the other end created the pressure necessary to hunt for wickets. He also credited Rana and Ebadot for their contributions, pointing out that preventing a significant lead was a major psychological victory for the bowling unit.
A Return to Form
For Mehidy, the five-wicket haul (5 for 102) was a personal milestone, marking his first five-for in over a year. He candidly admitted that his confidence had been tested in recent months, especially in the ODI format where wickets had been hard to come by despite economical spells. “I worked a lot on my bowling, so my confidence grew. I think I am an effective bowler even when I am not taking regular wickets. Test cricket gives you a lot more opportunities, as you get a lot of time to maintain yourself as a bowler,” he explained. With his confidence restored and the match delicately poised, the spotlight now shifts to the Bangladesh batters to capitalize on the hard work put in by the bowlers over the previous three days.
