Rain washes out third day of play in Dhaka Test

DHAKA: Rain triggered by a weakened cyclone washed out the third day of the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Dhaka on Monday.

Match officials called off play at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at 2:00pm, with no chance of the weather improving for the day. Only 63.2 overs of play were possible over the first two days with Pakistan reaching 188-2 in their first innings, with skipper Babar Azam batting on 71 alongside Azhar Ali on 52.

Taijul Islam picked up both wickets to fall. Pakistan lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the first encounter in Chittagong by eight wickets. The last time a full day’s play was lost in a Test in Bangladesh was in July-August 2015, when South Africa toured the country.

On the second day, only 30 minutes of play was possible, when Pakistan resumed their first innings for just 6.2 overs. It was enough time for Azhar Ali to move from his overnight 39 to his 34th Test half-century and then to 52 not-out. Babar Azam struck a few boundaries to move to an unbeaten 71.

Earlier on the first day, the visitors made an unsurprisingly strong start, with Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique adding 59 for the opening stand. It was Pakistan’s fourth successive 50-plus stand for the first wicket, equalling the same feat from 2002. Taijul Islam removed both Abid and Shafique, but Azhar and Babar remained solid.

The weather, however, promises to be better on the fourth and fifth days. There is no more rain in forecast, but it might take a while for the ground staff to rid of the excess water even when the sun comes out.