“He was clearly informed an hour earlier…”: Did Shan Masood ‘deny’ Rizwan a double century? Pakistan star clarifies the decision to declare.

Pakistan took control on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh, with wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and vice-captain Saud Shakeel leading the way with impressive centuries. Rizwan delivered a commanding performance, remaining not out on 171 from 239 balls, combining patience with aggression. Shakeel, maintaining his excellent form in red-ball cricket, added 141 runs off 261 deliveries, helping their team reach a strong total of 448-6 declared.

Their massive 240-run partnership for the fifth wicket rescued Pakistan from a shaky 114-4 and paved the way for a dominant total.

By the time Pakistan declared late in the day, they had firmly established themselves in a dominant position, leaving Bangladesh with the tough task of avoiding a substantial first-innings deficit. However, the declaration sparked debate, with many questioning whether Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, acted too quickly.

Social media users suggested that Masood could have waited for Rizwan to reach his double century before calling the declaration, as the wicketkeeper-batter was just 29 runs short of the milestone.