CHATTOGRAM: Opener Abid Ali missed out on back-to-back centuries by nine runs but Pakistan comfortably chased down a 202-run target to beat Bangladesh by eight wickets on Tuesday in the first Test.
Congratulations Pakistan!🇵🇰👏🙌
Pakistan win Chattogram Test by eight wickets, take 1-0 lead in two-match series. #BANvPAK#HarHaalMainCricket pic.twitter.com/1o1uM5cfLW— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 30, 2021
Abid and Abdullah Shafique put on a 151-run partnership for the first wicket, their second consecutive 100-plus stand in the match to give Pakistan’s chase a powerful start. Abid, who hit 133 in the first innings, struck 12 boundaries and scored 91 off 148 deliveries in the second innings.
“Abdullah Shafique was making his debut, so we tried to stay on the crease, waited for bad balls and succeeded in putting those away,” Abid said.
“I had done well in domestic cricket and carried that positive mindset here too. Abdullah played really well, I gave him more credit.
“I am a bit disappointed that I got out for 91 in the second innings but at the same time I am happy that we won the match.”
The #WTC23 standings after Pakistan’s victory over Bangladesh 👇 pic.twitter.com/z8c8JgYDXX
— ICC (@ICC) November 30, 2021
Resuming Day 5 at 109 without loss, and just 93 runs away from the victory, Pakistan’s openers appeared to be in full control until off-spinner Mehidy Hasan struck.
Shafique followed his first-innings half-century to reach 73 before Mehidy (1-59) trapped him lbw.
Seven overs later, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (1-89) had Abid out lbw, baffling him with a sharp turn to make Pakistan 171-2.
Azhar Ali then combined with captain Babar Azam to complete the inevitable, hitting consecutive boundaries off Mehidy to finish off the game. Azhar was unbeaten on 24 and Azam was not out on 13.
Liton Das’ maiden Test century helped Bangladesh post 330 in its first innings, then Taijul Islam claimed 7-116 to bowl out Pakistan for 286 — giving the hosts a 44-run first-innings lead.
Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was instrumental in Pakistan’s rally, returned figures of 5-32 to wrap up Bangladesh’s second innings for 157.
The second Test starts Saturday in Dhaka.
— With additional input from Reuters
