Bangladesh overcame political turmoil at home to secure a historic 10-wicket victory on the dramatic final day of the first Test against Pakistan on Sunday. Pakistan collapsed to 146 all out, allowing Bangladesh to clinch its first-ever Test win in 14 matches against them.
Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz and left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan, the latter a former lawmaker in Sheikh Hasina’s government, took seven wickets between them. This followed a disciplined performance from the pace bowlers, who had dismantled Pakistan's top order.
Openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam were unbeaten on 15 and 9 respectively as Bangladesh reached 30-0 at the tea interval, securing only their seventh away Test victory and their first since defeating New Zealand at Mount Maunganui in January 2022.
Pakistan, having declared their first innings at 448-6, conceded a 117-run lead. They were bowled out by a disciplined combination of pace and spin after resuming at 23-1, still 94 runs behind. “It’s an amazing feeling and really a special moment for us,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said. “Over the last one month, we had a difficult (political) situation, but this win will bring a little bit of smile.”
Mohammad Rizwan followed his career-best unbeaten 171 to top-score with 51 but most of his teammates were guilty of falling to rash shots coupled with some aggressive field placings by Shanto.
Mehidy picked up 4-21 and Shakib 3-44 while the three fast bowlers Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana snared one wicket each.
“It’s really nice the way everyone showed character in such hot conditions," Shanto said while praising his batters for posting a formidable score of 565 in the first innings. "We knew if we bowled in right areas, we can win this game ... and today both Shakib and Miraz used the conditions very well.”
Earlier, in a dramatic first session Bangladesh set up its victory as Pakistan limped to 108-6 and lost five wickets. Captain Shan Masood (14) was dismissed in the second over of the day when Hasan found a faint edge and had the Pakistan skipper caught behind.
Masood argued with onfield umpire Richard Kettleborough for the second time in the test match after he was also caught behind in a controversial manner in the first innings, but the television replays clearly suggested the left-hander had a tickle on the ball after Bangladesh went for a successful television referral.
Hasan should have had Babar Azam out for a pair of ducks in the game, but wicketkeeper Litton Das spilled a simple catch off the first ball Babar faced. Babar tried to break the shackles and hit three boundaries before he was out to fast bowler Rana (1-30) when on 22.
Pakistan’s middle-order batters were guilty of throwing away their wickets against the two spinners, Shakib and Mehidy.
First innings century-maker Saud Shakeel needlessly tried to play an extravagant shot against Shakib and got stumped for zero for the first time in his short test career.
Abdullah Shafique also ran out of patience and went for an over ambitious shot against Shakib and top edged a catch to point before Mehidy found the outside edge of Salman Ali Agha’s bat in his second over.
Bangladesh kept up the pressure on Pakistan after the break as Mehidy picked up three wickets after lunch. Rizwan under edged a sweep against the offspinner back onto his stumps soon after completing his half century and then No. 11 Mohammad Ali was out leg before wicket.
The defeat extended Pakistan’s barren run in red-ball cricket at home to five losses and four draws since it last beat South Africa at Rawalpindi in 2021.
“We have to look upon the mistakes we’ve made collectively and work on them,” Masood said after losing his fourth successive test match since he was named test captain before the series in Australia late last year.
“I apologize to the whole nation and hope we will do much better in the next game.”
The second test will also be played at Rawalpindi from next Friday after it was moved from Karachi due to the ongoing construction work at the National Bank Stadium.
(With Agency Inputs)
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