A dismal day

Bowlers getting injured, chances being let down and catches deemed illegal due to bowlers overstepping; it was just one of those days for the Tigers when barely anything went their way.

While the above instances could be deemed unfortunate, skipper Mushfiqur Rahim's decision to bowl after winning the toss -- despite having eight batsmen in the side and on a wicket that traditionally favours batsmen -- could be termed as anything but a lack of fortune.

The Tigers had everything rolling for them going into the second Test. After whitewashing Pakistan, their openers put up a world record stand to bounce back from the jaws of defeat in the first Test; in other words, Pakistan's confidence levels were perhaps at their lowest.

And yet, despite winning the toss and receiving the opportunity to prolong that pressure, the team management thought it would be a better decision to put the visitors in.

Yes, there was grass on the wicket and the pacers did receive some movement from it, but the Tigers went into this game with just two pacers -- one of them has just begun his international career and the other hasn't exactly been a wicket-taker over the years.

In addition, Shakib Al Hasan's bowling in the Test series hasn't been up to the mark. As a result, for Mushfiqur and the team management to believe that they could strike the pins down with this bowling attack wasn't a pragmatic move; if at all that was the plan.

With a day gone, Pakistan now hold the edge after putting in a formidable total which can now put the pressure on the Tigers on a track where the likes of Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah are bound to be more threatening.

The only positive aspect for the Tigers on the field yesterday was Mohammad Shaheed. The young pacer bowled his heart out in his first spell, which saw him bowl eight overs on the trot in the scorching heat.

He stuck to his limitations, frequently brought the ball in and was rewarded for his hard work. However, things could have been a lot better for him in the morning session had he not overstepped the line.

His burst with the new ball towards the end of the day was as good as the morning session. He compelled Younis Khan to edge a number of deliveries before eventually getting him caught at slip. He also beat Misbahul Haq with a jaffa which compelled the 40-year-old to give Shaheed a pat on his back.

While Shaheed was happy with his performance, he believed it could have been better had Shahadat Hossain not been injured.

"If Shahadat bhai was there, things would have definitely been better. There was grass on the wicket and the bowlers were getting help from it.

"I enjoyed bowling here a lot more than in Khulna… it was a lot more fun," said Shaheed, who finished with figures of 2 for 43.

"The no-ball opportunities and the other chances made me feel a little frustrated, but then I realised that those chances were done. I tried to focus on the next ball," added the paceman.

Shaheed is confident that the Tigers can make a comeback today. According to him, all they need to do is to bowl well in the morning session.