First day of 2nd Bangladesh Test washed out

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan quest to draw the two-match series against Bangladesh got an early jolt as the opening day of the second Test was washed out because of excessive rain in and around Rawalpindi.

Bangladesh are already 1-0 with Pakistan desperate to win the second Test to draw the World Test Championship series. Heavy rain continued to lash twin cities Friday morning and afternoon resulting in a complete washout on Friday. However the rain stopped in the afternoon (at 3pm) following which the ground staff started clearing the Pindi Stadium.

When a senior member of ground staff was approached Friday evening, he said that the ground had been cleared for action on Saturday. “We have made all-out efforts to clear the ground in which we succeeded around 7pm. Now it all depends on the sun early Saturday morning.

In case of no further rain and early sun, efforts will be made to hand over the ground to the match-referee to start the match in time at around 10am on Saturday,” the ground staff member said.

He added that the entire ground staff worked extra hours to clear the ground. Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi has been relieved from the Test side to be back with his family prior to his departure for Faisalabad for the five-team one-day event.

“Shaheen has requested for the release which was accepted. He is expected to leave for Karachi any time to join his family and newly-born son before heading for Faisalabad for ODI Championship,” a team official told ‘The News’.