Can Liton and Mushfiq do it again?

Bangladesh Cricket team is in dire need of a solid partnership from Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim to avoid defeat against Sri Lanka on the fifth and final day of the Dhaka Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Liton and Mushfiq produced an unbelievable performance in the first innings where they put together a world-record partnership of 272 runs, the highest after a team lost their five wickets for less than 25 runs.

Shakib Al Hasan, who came to the post-match press conference, said he was hoping for a similar kind of performance from the duo.

“If someone can bat as Mushfiq Bhai and Liton did in the first innings, it is then possible to save the game. I hope they (Liton and Mushfiq) will bat till lunch tomorrow (today),” he said on Thursday.

The experienced all-rounder feels that the Sri Lankan pacers will come with all guns blazing on Friday morning and Bangladesh must survive those.

“We have six more wickets in hand, and to save the game, we all have to contribute. They will launch an all-out attack on us with the pacers in the morning. Our job is to survive. If we don’t lose any wicket or hardly one till lunch, then we can try our best,” said Shakib.

“They have two pacers. A pacers’ spell hardly lasts for 5-6 overs. Before lunch, they will bowl hardly 10 overs each. We have to neutralise that threat. Then the ball will get old, and the batsmen will become set,” explained Shakib.

The all-rounder has been a bit irregular in Tests in recent times and his last Test hundred came almost five years ago. Shakib also claimed his first five-wicket haul after almost four years. He was asked does he want a hundred in the second innings, and he replied, “Now, the team is in such a predicament where it will be better if I survive for three hours rather than scoring a century. I hope the two unbeaten batsmen (Liton and Mushfiq) survive till the lunch break. After that, if I can bat for three more hours, that will be more important for the team.”