A record-breaking unbeaten first-wicket stand from Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes helped Bangladesh fight back against Pakistan on the penultimate day of the first Test in Khulna.
The pair hit centuries and shared a Bangladesh record first-wicket Test partnership of 273, which bettered the previous best of 224 they set against Zimbabwe in November.
Tamim (138 not out) and Kayes (132no) batted for the full day to leave Bangladesh just 23 runs behind the tourists' mammoth first-innings total of 628 with all of their second-innings wickets in tact.
The pair will resume on Saturday morning 142 runs behind Test cricket's highest ever opening stand set by South Africa's Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie, coincidentally against Bangladesh, in 2008.
Pakistan, having resumed on 537 for five, lost their last five wickets for 91 runs in 21 overs on Friday morning to achieve a first-innings lead of 296.
Asad Shafiq (83) and Sarfraz Ahmed (82) continued where double centurion Mohammad Hafeez left off on Thursday, but Taijul Islam helped to limit the damage by claiming Pakistan's final three wickets to finish with figures of six for 163.
Bangladesh openers Tamim and Kayes negotiated the four overs before lunch and found the boundary regularly after the interval and Tamim reverse-swept Zulfiqar Babar to record his 18th Test fifty in just 64 balls.
Pakistan's bowlers, who bowled only two maidens all day, had no answer to Tamim and Kayes' rip-roaring approach and the pair brought up their century stand as Kayes drove Mohammad Hafeez's final ball of the 22nd over to the cover boundary and then passed fifty with a streaky four seven overs later.
Tamim, who scored back-to-back one-day international centuries against Pakistan last month, was closing in on his seventh Test hundred at that point and nine overs after tea he dispatched Junaid Khan for successive fours to reach the milestone, from 123 balls, and their 200-run partnership duly followed.
Tamim then slapped a short Wahab Riaz delivery to the boundary to break their own first-wicket Test partnership record before Kayes notched his century, from 154 deliveries, shortly after thrilling the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium by hoisting Yasir Shah over the ropes at long on.
The pair negotiated the final eight overs of the day with the minimum of fuss and received a guard of honour from their team-mates at the close in recognition of their heroic batting efforts.
Tamim scored 138 from 183 deliveries during the day in a majestic knock which included 13 fours and four sixes. He needs a further 14 runs on Saturday to beat his best-ever Test score.
Kayes was equally impressive in compiling 132 from 185 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes, to surpass his previous best Test effort of 130.
Source: PA
