Bangladesh has won their first ever test match against Pakistan by an impressive 10 wickets. After bowling Pakistan out for just 146, Bangladesh just required 30 runs to win which they managed in 6 overs without any loss of wickets.
Bangladesh’s bowlers took command on the final day of the Test match, capturing five wickets in the morning session to edge closer to a rare away victory. The momentum, fueled by Mushfiqur Rahim’s pivotal 191-run knock on Saturday, put Bangladesh in a strong position with two sessions remaining.
Pakistan, who had already lost Saim Ayub to Shoriful Islam on the fourth evening, faced a barrage of disciplined bowling as Bangladesh’s attack dismantled their top order within 26 overs. By the lunch break, Pakistan had lost five frontline batters, leaving them trailing by nine runs with just four wickets in hand. The remaining sessions were extended to make up for time lost due to rain on the first day.
Starting the day at 65 for 2, Pakistan’s position quickly deteriorated, especially after the dismissal of Babar Azam for 22. Both Saud Shakeel and Agha Salman were dismissed without scoring, deepening Pakistan’s woes.
Babar, who survived an early scare when Litton Das dropped a diving catch off his second ball, managed to score some boundaries and gain confidence. However, his resistance ended at 22 when he was bowled by a sharp delivery from Nahid Rana. Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz then spun a web around Pakistan’s batters, claiming the wickets of Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, and Agha Salman in quick succession.
Earlier in the session, Shan Masood was the first to fall, edging behind off Hasan Mahmud. The on-field umpire initially gave him not out, but Bangladesh successfully overturned the decision through a review, revealing a faint edge on UltraEdge. Masood, visibly frustrated, had to depart.
Only two balls later, Babar edged a delivery from Shoriful, but Litton Das, who had taken a spectacular catch in the first innings, couldn’t replicate his heroics. Babar took advantage of the missed chance, punishing the loose deliveries that followed. Shafique, though steady at one end, struggled with his footwork, particularly against Nahid Rana, who bowled with pace and intent.
Nahid’s aggressive short-pitched bowling kept Babar on the back foot before he delivered a fuller ball outside off, which Babar could only chop onto his stumps. Shakib continued to build pressure with his accurate lines, and Shakeel was next to fall, stumped for a duck after failing to negotiate Shakib’s turn.
Bangladesh’s success was not just a result of the conditions but also their smart bowling changes and field placements, which continuously created wicket-taking opportunities. Pakistan, still trailing by 50 runs when Mohammad Rizwan walked in, tried to counter-attack. Rizwan, who scored a century in the first innings, took on the slightly fatigued Nahid, hitting him for three consecutive boundaries. Shafique and Rizwan combined to reduce the deficit to just 16 with some aggressive strokes.
However, just as Pakistan seemed to be gaining ground, Shafique threw his wicket away with a reckless shot, giving Bangladesh the upper hand once more. Attempting a big shot, he ended up handing a catch to Shadman Islam at backward point. In the very next over, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, brought back into the attack, lured Agha Salman into a defensive shot that resulted in a sharp catch at slip, dismissing him for a golden duck.
Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi managed to survive the remaining deliveries before lunch, though not without some tense moments. Afridi narrowly escaped an lbw decision against Shakib after a review showed the ball was going over the stumps, and Rizwan survived a stumping appeal just before the session ended.
With Pakistan facing the prospect of yet another home defeat, their winless streak on home soil since February 2021 looms large. During this period, Pakistan has lost four matches and drawn five, a record they will be desperate to improve upon.
