Mushfiqur's masterclass puts Bangladesh in the driver's seat

Bangladesh seized the day emphatically in Sylhet, leaving Pakistan far behind in the contest with a disciplined, determined second-innings effort built around Mushfiqur Rahim's commanding 14th Test hundred. By Stumps on Day 3, the visitors were handed a mountainous chase of 437 to draw level in the series.

Mushfiqur's 137 was an innings of familiar authority. Pakistan had begun well, with Khurram Shahzad troubling Najmul Hossain Shanto before trapping him LBW for 15, leaving the hosts 115 for 4. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter chose patience over aggression from the outset, keeping the ball close to his body, refusing gifts, and trusting the innings to open up.

And open up it did. Cover drives flowed, square-cuts crackled, and the occasional slog-sweep and hard drive through the line reminded Pakistan of the futility of bowling full at him. He faced 233 balls, struck 12 fours and one six, and remained at the crease until the 103rd over, and was the last Bangladesh wicket to fall, by when their second-innings total had reached 390, for an overall lead of 436. It was his third Test century in a second innings, and arguably among the most influential.

He did not do it alone. Litton Das, fresh off a first-innings century, brought his characteristic fluency to a tricky morning period. His half-century on the third day means he has now scored a century and a fifty in the same Test on three occasions, a Bangladesh wicketkeeper record, going past Mushfiqur himself. Litton timed the ball crisply even as the ball seamed around, and but for a fortunate miss from Babar Azam – who could not hit the stumps direct at short midwicket with Litton stranded halfway – the innings could have unravelled earlier. He made 69 off 92 balls before a well-placed upper-cut off Hasan Ali found Saud Shakeel at fly-slip.

The two shared a vital 123-run fifth-wicket stand that effectively buried Pakistan's hopes of getting back into the game. Shahzad did return to clean-bowl Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 19 with a delivery that jagged back sharply, and Sajid Khan – who had a difficult day, including a dropped chance off his own bowling when Litton was on 56 – claimed a couple of wickets as the innings wound down.

Taijul Islam offered Mushfiqur solid support in the lower order, chipping in with 22 off 51 balls. The pair added 77 for the seventh wicket, with Taijul contributing two handsomely-struck boundaries. The day's most vivid cameo, however, may have been a pull shot – with one foot off the ground – dispatched to the fence off Shahzad, coming immediately after a heated exchange between Mushfiqur and Pakistan captain Shan Masood. Bangladesh won that battle too, as they have won most of the moments in this Test.

Pakistan now face the near-impossible. Conditions are still not bad but they will need something close to historic against an inspired bowling attack to overhaul Bangladesh's target.

Brief scores: Pakistan 232 & 0/0 trail Bangladesh 278 & 390 (Mushfiqur Rahim 137, Litton Das 69; Khurram Shahzad 4-86) by 437 runs.