In the first round of the two-match series in Rawalpindi today, the Tigers triumphed over Pakistan by a perfect 10-wicket margin, capping one of their most celebrated victories in Test history.
On their fourteenth try, they had won their first Test match against Pakistan. Bangladesh had drawn one Test and lost twelve, most of them by an innings margin, before to this one.
The country, which had been through a trying period in the previous two months due to political instability and a devastating flood that severely damaged areas of the country, found some solace in the first Test victory over Pakistan.
On Day 5, what was the final day of the Test, the Tigers turned the table emphatically as the Test was heading to a draw in a pitch which was mostly unresponsive for the bowlers.
But, Bangladesh’s spinners showed why they were rated highly even in a pitch, conducive to the bowlers. And left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan, who just a couple days ago was charged with an alleged murder case, rose to the occasion to an uncanny degree.
Offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz played a perfect foil to him to further wreck havoc on Pakistan. Miraz ended with 4-21 while Shakib though finished with 3-44, his breakthrough at crucial moment proved to be decisive.
Pakistan’s second innings ended at just 146 thanks to the twosome’s carnage, meaning they could only set a target of 30 runs for Bangladesh.
In just 6.3 overs, openers Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan reached 30 for no wicket, with the former paddling Agha Salman for a boundary to aptly end the match.
Zakir scored 15 off 26 with three boundaries, while Shadman, who scored 93 in the opening innings, was at 9 runs.
Bangladesh was the only team to win the match following Mushfiqur Rahim’s outstanding 191, which allowed the team score 565 against Pakistan, their greatest Test total, and take a 117-run advantage on Day 4.
But as the pitch was mostly unresponsive, the Test is believed to head toward draw. However, Shakib though other way. When Pakistan resumed, the day at 23-1, Bangladesh got the first breakthrough through pacer Hasan Mahmud who dismissed Pakistan captain Shan Masood for 14 in just third over of the day.
Another pacer Nahid Rana compounded the woe further by getting rid of out-of-form Babar Azam who made 22.
However, Pakistan is still in the hunt to draw the game easily with the dangerous Saud Shakeel and the compact Abdullah Shafique at the crease. Shakeel currently has the third-highest Test average among hitters who have scored 1000 or more runs.
Shakeel was dismissed for a duck after an arm ball trick by Shakib, leaving Pakistan at 67-4.
Nonetheless, Pakistan had a good chance to rescue a draw with the pitch still favouring hitters thanks to the resistance of Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 171 in the first innings.
With a cunningly flighted delivery that Shafique top-edged to give the visitors a vital lead, Shakib emerged as the hero once more. Shafique scored 37 points.
Shafique’s dismissal titled the game towards Bangladesh completely. And Mehdiy Hasan Miraz then appeared in the stage with a double blow, dismissing Agha Salman and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Rizwan though kept battling, Shakib and Miraz put Pakistan in dire strait, spinning the ball viciously. Rizwan, however, was the ninth batter out, when Miraz got the better of him after scored team-best 51.
To end Pakistan’s innings, Miraz removed Mohammad Ali in the following over.
Pakistan declared their first innings at 448–6, with Saud Shakil (171) and Rizwan (171) scoring hundreds. There was debate about whether he ought to announce the innings before surpassing the 500-run threshold.
But Bangladesh overcame Pakistan with an impressive 191 runs from Mushfiqur Rahim and four half-centuries from other batsmen to amass 565, their greatest Test total, and a 117-run lead that ultimately proved to be the game-changer.
