From back foot to seizing opportunity

Bangladesh turned a nightmare start to the third day into one that could weave a new dream in their second Test against Pakistan yesterday, and Liton Das and Mehedi Hasan Miraz were the architects of a comeback story for the ages.

The pace duo of Mir Hamza and Khurram Shahzad had breathed life into the hosts' chances of squaring the series -- with the opening day's play getting washed out -- as Bangladesh's top order crumbled in quick succession. The visitors were 26 for six, and the new ball had kept talking.

In that situation, the innings could have folded in a few overs. Liton, who scored a magnificent 138 -- his fourth Test century -- demonstrated the shrewdness of his game during two immense partnerships: first with Miraz and then with an unlikely Hasan Mahmud.

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Heavily criticised for his approach this year, particularly for his dismissal while dancing down the track in his first delivery against Sri Lanka recently, Liton saw the situation as an opportunity.

"Obviously, I was a bit nervous at that time. I never thought I would have to bat before drinks. When Miraz and I batted, we discussed that they had the momentum, so we needed to take our time. It was an opportunity for me and Miraz as well, and I took it positively," Liton said at the post-day press conference.

For Liton, the mark of a big player is in seizing such opportunities when the team is at a disadvantage.

"I knew that we were on the back foot, but there was an opportunity, and if you are a big player, you have to cash in," he added.

But the key for Liton was controlling Pakistan's momentum. Liton was content to play second fiddle for a while and did so through an injury after being hit on the hands and cramps induced by the Rawalpindi temperatures.

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Crucially, the partnership with Hasan Mahmud lasted about two hours, adding 69 valuable runs after Miraz had departed following a 165-run stand, and the two wickets from Hasan at the end of the day made it the Tigers' day.