PCB announces free entry for fans on remaining days of first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh

According to Geo News, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced that fans have been allowed free entry into the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium for the remainder of the first Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The announcement was made by the PCB after the end of the third day’s play of the first Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The PCB issued a statement saying that this decision has been taken in view of the weekend.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced free entry for spectators for the remaining days (fourth and fifth) of the first Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The decision has been made keeping in mind the weekend, which will allow families and students to come in greater numbers to support their cricket stars and watch the match between the two sides,” the PCB said in a statement, as quoted by Geo News.

“Spectators will have to bring their original CNIC or B-Form to enter the stadium and will be able to watch the match free of cost from any of the VIP complexes (Imran Khan and Javed Miandad) (for families only) and Premium complexes (Miran Bakhsh, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir and Yasir Arafat). The free entry policy will not apply to tickets purchased for the PCB Gallery or Platinum Box,” the statement said.

Talking about the match, Bangladesh won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first. Pakistan was struggling at 16/3 after all the top-order batsmen including captain Babar Azam were dismissed, after which Saim Ayub (56 off 98 balls, four fours and a six) helped Pakistan get back on track by sharing a 98-run partnership with Shakeel. Then a 240-run partnership with Mohammad Rizwan (171* off 239 balls, 11 fours and three sixes) and a brilliant innings from Shaheen Shah Afridi (29* off 24 balls, one four and two sixes) took Pakistan to a big score of 448/6.

Hasan Mahmud (2/70) and Shoriful Islam (2/77) were the top bowlers for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh are 3316/5 at stumps on day three, with Mushfiqur Rahim (55*) and Liton Das (52*) still at the crease.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)