Shakib, Nafees frustrate Pakistan with record stand

Shakib Al Hasan and Shahriar Nafees shared a record 180-run stand to take Bangladesh to a respectable 234-5 against Pakistan before bad light ended the opening day's play of the second Test on Saturday.

The pair surpassed Bangladesh's previous highest fifth-wicket stand of 144, set by Mehrab Hossain Jnr and Mushfiqur Rahim against New Zealand in 2008, to steer the team away from early trouble after a strong opening spell from Pakistan's Aizaz Cheemer

The stand was also Bangladesh's highest against Pakistan besting the 167 of Javed Omar and Habibul Bashar in 2003.

Shakib was unbeaten on 108, for his second Test century while Nafees fell to an awkward bouncer off Umar Gul on 97.

Wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal took a simple catch after the ball hit Nafees on the glove, ending his solid 177-ball innings that featured 12 boundaries.

Seamer Cheema had taken advantage of the bowler friendly conditions to claim three wickets and help reduce Bangladesh to 43-4 after play had been delayed by more than an hour because of dense fog.

The 32-year-old medium-pacer claimed had opener Nazimuddin (0) out leg before wicket with only his sixth delivery.

Gul then removed the under-performing Tamim Iqbal (14) when the Bangladesh opener's attempted hook shot was caught by Cheema at backward fine leg.

Cheema returned to bowl out Mahmudullah for a first-ball duck to leave the home side, who need to win the match to level the series after an innings defeat in the first Test, struggling on 21-3.

Nasir Hossain (7) was next to go in the 14th over when he edged a simple catch to wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal off the bowling of Cheema.

Scoreboard

Bangladesh 1st innings:

Tamim Iqbal c Cheema b Gul 14

Mohammed Nazimuddin lbw b Cheema 0

Shahriar Nafees c Akmal b Gul 97

Mohammad Mahmudullah b Cheema 0

Nasir Hossain c Akmal b Cheema 7

Shakib Al Hasan batting 108

Mushfiqur Rahim batting 5

Extras: (lb-3) 3

Total: (68 overs) 234 for five

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-16, 3-21, 4-43, 5-223.

Bowling: Gul 14-1-63-2, Cheema 16-2-52-3, Hafeez 9-3-27-0, Ajmal 15-1-47-0, Rehman 14-0-42-0.