Day 4: Bangladesh takes 179-run lead against Pakistan

Bangladesh national cricket team tightened their grip on the Mirpur Test against Pakistan national cricket team on day four, finishing with a 179-run lead after a composed batting effort led by Mominul Haque and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.

At stumps, Bangladesh were 152 for 3 in 50 overs in their second innings, adding to their first-innings lead of 27 runs after scoring 413 and bowling Pakistan out for 386.

The hosts had a shaky start, losing Mahmudul Hasan for 5 and Shadman Islam cheaply to slip to 23 for 2.

Mominul and Shanto then rebuilt the innings with another crucial partnership after their 170-run stand in the first innings. By lunch, Bangladesh had reached 93 for 2 with a lead of 120.

Rain interrupted play for nearly two and a half hours after lunch, but both batters resumed confidently once play restarted.

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Mominul brought up his fifth consecutive Test fifty and also completed 5,000 Test runs, becoming only the third Bangladeshi batter to reach the milestone. He was eventually dismissed for 56 after adding a valuable 100-run stand for the third wicket with Shanto.

Shanto also completed his half-century and remained unbeaten on 58 at the close of play, while Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on 16.

With the Mirpur pitch expected to assist bowlers further on the final day, Bangladesh will aim to set Pakistan a challenging fourth-innings target and push for victory.