Openers Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafiq hit half-centuries as Pakistan are in a commanding position to win the first Test against Bangladesh.

Chasing 202, the duo provided an excellent start as they became the only second pair after Imran Ferhat and Taufique Umar to provide a 100-run stand in both innings of a Test match for Pakistan.

At stumps, Pakistan need 93 runs to win with 10 wickets in hand on day four. Abid was unbeaten on 56, while Abdullah was 53 not out.

Earlier, Shaheen Afridi claimed a five-wicket haul for Pakistan while Liton Das made a battling half-century to help Bangladesh set a 202-run target in Chittagong on Monday.

The visitors in reply made a confident start in their second
innings, reaching 38-0 in the afternoon session of the fourth day, with openers
Abid Ali on 20 and Abdullah Shafique on 18.

Resuming on 39-4, Bangladesh looked down and out once they
lost Mushfiqur Rahim in the first over of the day, before Liton, who struck a
hundred in the first innings, hauled the hosts back to respectability with 59
off 89 balls.

Afridi trapped Liton leg-before and then had Abu Jayed out
for a duck to complete his fourth five-wicket Test haul, before off-spinner
Sajid Khan, who finished with 3-33, wrapped things up by dispatching Taijul
Islam.

The hosts had got off to a positive start with Mushfiqur
hitting a boundary off the first ball of the morning, bowled by Hasan Ali.

But two balls later he left the wrong delivery and departed
for 16 after Hasan struck off-stump.

Das joined overnight batsman Yasir Ali to prevent further
collapse.

Just when they looked ready to prosper, Afridi’s low bounce
hit the helmet of Yasir, who retired hurt after making 36.

Liton survived on 26 when he was given out, caught at short
leg off Sajid Khan.

The replay showed that the ball only hit his pad and was
going down the leg.

Sajid was rewarded for his persistence as he trapped Mehidy
Hasan leg-before for 11.

Substitute Nurul Hasan replaced Yasir after Mehidy’s
dismissal and barely survived a strong caught-behind appeal just before lunch.

Nurul heaved one at long-on to Faheem Ashraf off Sajid after
the break, getting dismissed for 15, and Pakistan took little time to take the
remaining wickets.

Bangladesh have failed to defeat Pakistan in any of their 10
previous encounters.