Defiant Liton stepped up ‘to take the game on’

If Liton Das's last Test series against Sri Lanka at home is anything to go by, he had been struggling immensely both mentally and technically. His technique, especially against the new ball, had come under scrutiny even before those Sri Lanka Tests. Thus, when he was batting in the Rawalpindi Test on day three, he had to contend with the momentum Pakistan had built up against Bangladesh, as well as his own recent struggles.

If going against the grain is a sought-after trait when achieving a backs-to-the-wall turnaround, Liton mythically overcame his performance issues and played an innings that completely changed the scenario. To put it in perspective, it was Liton's first Test century in 27 months, since the one against Sri Lanka in 2022. Since then, he had scored five fifties in 18 innings, but problems with concentration led to poor shot selection and low scores.

The Tigers were reduced to 26-6, in reply to Pakistan's 272 in first innings, with Mir Hamza and Khurram Shahzad nipping the ball around at will. Usually, Liton is the aggressor, but this time he played according to the situation.

Former captain Mominul Haque, watching with the rest of the team, described the feelings that engulfed the dressing room at the time.

"The mood within the team was certainly one of disappointment -- it's only natural after losing six wickets so early," Mominul told The Daily Star over the phone from Pakistan.

"When Liton and Miraz were batting, I was sitting upstairs in the dressing room, feeling quite depressed. It was even more acute because the previous day we had been buoyed by the win in the first Test, and all of a sudden it felt like we had nothing.

"Then I went down and felt a bit more optimistic. At that point, they had added around 12-15 runs to our score of 26. I was with Taijul and remember telling him that from here Miraz would score a hundred and Liton would get a ton -- that's 200 runs, and then we'd win. It was just something I said out of the blue without context, but maybe someone granted my wish," he added.

Even with Miraz's massive innings, Liton's task did not end when the last recognised batter, Miraz, got out. He went on to complete his century with only Hasan Mahmud for company, showcasing all the class and maturity that had been missing from his earlier Test innings.

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From back foot to seizing opportunity

"Liton and Miraz were just unbelievable. It proves that there is nothing unbelievable in cricket," Mominul said.

"After Miraz got out, we were a bit tense, as another wicket would mean Liton wouldn't get his hundred. The way he played throughout the innings, doing what was necessary, taking risks when needed, and his shot selection and counter-attacking at the right moments, showed he took all the responsibility to take the game on," Mominul aptly remarked.

Mominul noted that Liton was nervous at the start, but once Miraz relieved some pressure with boundaries, Liton capitalised on that momentum to end up scoring a 228-ball 138 that set the stage for Bangladesh's first series win in Pakistan.

"You need to counter-attack according to your strengths. His [Liton's] move was that when they attacked his strong zones he went on the attack. He plays the cuts and pulls very well and they set him up for short deliveries but he capitalised," said Mominul.