Dhaka, Bangladesh: Pakistan crept closer to winning the second and final test after leaving Bangladesh on Friday with nearly 500 runs, effectively eight wickets, and two days to deny the visitors a series victory.
After Pakistan declared for a second time and set an unlikely target of 550 to win the test, Bangladesh lost a wicket and was 63-1 at stumps.
But the home side had only eight more wickets left, as fast bowler Shahadat Hossain cannot bat after a serious knee injury on the first day.
He was absent in the morning session when Bangladesh was all out for 203 in the first innings before lunch. Pakistan, with a lead of 354, did not enforce the follow-on, and piled on quick runs to put intense pressure on Bangladesh to save the test series.
"When you have 180 overs in two days in the game you have plenty of time (to win)," Pakistan bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed said. "Yes, we are in a good position. But we still have to play good smart cricket. And we have to be very professional."
The test is Pakistan's last chance to salvage a miserable tour after being swept in the one-day internationals, losing the Twenty20, and conceding a draw in the first test in Khulna.
Bangladesh will have to go where it's never gone to keep this test alive, and on a pitch that was beginning to offer wicked turn and bounce.
The home side's highest fourth-innings score was 413 in 2008 in a loss to Sri Lanka. The highest successful chase in a fourth innings is 418-7 by West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.
"We won't give up without a fight," middle-order batsman Shakib Al Hasan said. "If we can get a 200-run stand from the top order, we can build from that confidence. There's a lot of time left in the game, and the wicket is not as slow or low as it was in Khulna. The ball is going up and down here."
At the crease were Tamim Iqbal on 32, and Mominul Haque on 15.
Tamim, who scored a career-best 206 to save the first test, became only the second Bangladeshi to cross 3,000 test runs after Habibul Bashar on Friday, and needs only 17 more to become the highest run-getter for Bangladesh in tests.
"We have Tamim set in the crease, and Mominul has also started well," Shakib said. "If we can spend the first hour tomorrow without losing a wicket, we can hope."
Imrul Kayes was bowled for the second time in the match by legspinner Yasir Shah, this time for 16, half as much as his first innings. Shah baffled Kayes with one that turned viciously.
Bangladesh started the day batting, from 107-5 overnight. Shakib's 89 not out off 91 balls lifted them to 203 all out.
With Shahadat unable to bat, Shakib had little support, but unleashed a spectacular attack on the Pakistani bowlers and made all but one of the runs in a 63-run stand with No. 10 batsman Mohammad Shahid.
Pakistan decided to bat again, and was set back initially when fast bowler Shahid removed openers Mohammad Hafeez (0) and Sami Aslam (8) to leave Pakistan at 25-2.
Medium-pacer Soumya Sarkar accounted for Azhar Ali for 25, but then Younis Khan and captain Misbah-ul-Haq regained the momentum.
Bangladesh could have imposed more pressure on Pakistan had Taijul Islam not put down a catch at cover when Younis was on 16. Sarkar was bowling. Younis went on to 39 before he was dismissed by Taijul.
Misbah went after the bowlers, with a rapid 82. He smashed nine fours and three sixes in his 72-ball knock. The second six was Pakistan's 1,000th over the boundary in tests.
As soon as he holed out to deep mid-wicket, Pakistan declared.
