century as Pakistan reached 87 for one in replying to Bangladesh's 338 all out on the second day of the second Test Sunday. Umar reached 44 and Azhar Ali was unbeaten on 26 before bad light halted play early. The only wicket fell to Nazmul Hossain who had Mohammad Hafeez (14) caught behind with his first ball on his return to the international team after playing one previous Test in 2004. “Our target is to just go in there and carry on this partnership as long as we can. Our plan is to bat long,” said Azhar. “It was difficult to play spinners because the ball was turning a bit. But tomorrow it will be a new session and I think things will be easier after we spend some time at the crease.” Pakistan had dismissed the host on the stroke of tea, quickly wrapping up the innings after Shakib Al Hasan had been run out for a fine 144. Shakib went after a bad mix-up with Mushfiqur Rahim (40) which ended their 82-run sixth-wicket stand. Rahim called for a single but then changed his mind leaving Shakib stranded with Taufiq hitting the stumps with a direct throw from mid-on. Rahim was dismissed with the next delivery, caught behind down the leg side off Umar Gul. Spinner Saeed Ajmal then took two wickets to clean up the tail. Pakistan players blocked Pakistan players have been refused permission to play in the lucrative Bangladesh Twenty20 league by their cricket board (PCB) in order to concentrate on next month's Test series against England in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Nine Pakistani players had been offered contracts by different clubs in the Bangladesh premier league that begins on Dec. 26 but the PCB has stopped Test players, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez and Abdul Rehman from signing. “The PCB feels that at this time when the national team is due to play a very important Test series against England it would not be appropriate to allow our top players to play in any foreign T20 league,” PCB media manager Nadeem Sarwar told Reuters. “No player at this stage has been given permission to sign any contract.” Other players offered contracts include out of favor Test players, Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz and Umar Akmal and Sohail Tanvir who recently played in the one-day series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The Pakistani team is currently touring Bangladesh and will return home next week before leaving for Dubai on Jan. 9. The first of three Tests against England start on Jan. 17 with the squad scheduled to be named next week.
