Bangladesh completed a resounding six-wicket victory over Pakistan in a rain-affected second Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium to sweep the two-match series 2-0. This marked Bangladesh’s first Test series win against Pakistan and only their third series win outside home conditions.
Resuming the day at 42 for no loss and needing 143 runs to chase down a modest target of 185, Bangladesh’s batters held their nerve to secure the win a stroke before tea. While rain had threatened to play a part in the outcome, the skies cleared for an uninterrupted final day of play. The visitors reached 185-4 in 56 overs, with experienced hands Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan at the crease when victory was sealed, scoring 22 and 21 not out, respectively.
Bangladesh’s Batting Performance:
In the morning session, Zakir Hasan was the first to go, bowled by Mir Hamza for 40 after starting the day on 31. His opening partner, Shadman Islam, added 15 more runs to his overnight score of nine, finishing with 24 before being dismissed by Khurram Shahzad.
Najmul Hossain Shanto, the Bangladesh captain, stabilized the innings with a composed 38, sharing a crucial 57-run partnership for the third wicket with Mominul Haque, who scored 34 before falling to Abrar Ahmed. However, any hopes of a late comeback by Pakistan were quickly extinguished as Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan guided their side home.
Pakistan’s Struggles Continue:
Pakistan’s woes were compounded by yet another home series defeat, marking their sixth loss in 10 Tests on home soil since February 2021. Captain Shan Masood suffered his fifth straight defeat since replacing Babar Azam as Test captain, and Jason Gillespie’s tenure as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach got off to a disastrous start.
Pakistan’s first innings total of 274, powered by half-centuries from Saim Ayub (58), Shan Masood (57), and Salman Ali Agha (54), was not enough to put Bangladesh under pressure. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the chief destroyer for Bangladesh with a five-wicket haul, while Taskin Ahmed chipped in with three wickets. Pakistan’s second innings collapse saw them bundled out for 172, with Salman Ali Agha’s 47 not out and Mohammad Rizwan’s 43 providing resistance. Hasan Mahmud’s brilliant spell of 5-43 and Nahid Rana’s 4-44 ensured Pakistan were kept to a chaseable target for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Bowlers Shine:
Litton Das was named Player of the Match for his resilient first-innings century (138) that had rescued Bangladesh from a perilous 26 for six. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, for his all-round contributions of 155 runs and 10 wickets across the series, deservedly earned Player of the Series honors.
The win dashed Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord’s next June, as they languish in eighth place in the nine-team standings with only 16 points after seven matches.
Scores in Brief:
Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by six wickets.
Pakistan 1st Innings: 274 all-out in 85.1 overs (Saim Ayub 58, Shan Masood 57, Salman Ali Agha 54, Babar Azam 31, Mohammad Rizwan 29; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-61, Taskin Ahmed 3-57)
Pakistan 2nd Innings: 172 all-out in 46.4 overs (Salman Ali Agha 47 not out, Mohammad Rizwan 43, Shan Masood 28, Saim Ayub 20; Hasan Mahmud 5-43, Nahid Rana 4-44)
Bangladesh 1st Innings: 262 all-out in 78.4 overs (Litton Das 138, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 78, Hasan Mahmud 13 not out; Khurram Shahzad 6-90, Salman Ali Agha 2-13, Mir Hamza 2-50)
Bangladesh 2nd Innings: 185-4 in 56 overs (Zakir Hasan 40, Najmul Hossain Shanto 38, Mominul Haque 34, Shadman Islam 24)
Player of the Match: Litton Das (Bangladesh)
Player of the Series: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh)
Bangladesh will take this momentum forward, while Pakistan will now regroup ahead of their next Test series against England, starting on 7 October 2024.
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