Bangladeshโs Mushfiqur Rahim plays a shot during the fifth day of second test cricket match against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Tuesday (September 3, 2024).
| Photo Credit: AP
Bangladesh thrashed Pakistan in the second Test during the two-match Test series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday (September 4, 2024). Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by six wickets. It was a historic series win for Bangladesh which has some political crisis back home. Interestingly this was Bangaldeshโs first Test series win against Pakistan.
It was indeed a commanding performance from the Bangladesh cricket team that too against a mighty Pakistani side.
This Test series is part of the World Test Championship. In the first Test, Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by 10 wickets to clinch their first Test win in 14 years.
In the first Test, Pakistan scored 448 for 6 declared in their first innings. Bangladesh scored a massive 565 taking a lead of 117 runs. Bangladesh bowlers dismissed Pakistan for just 146 in the second innings. Bangladesh openers then chased down the target of 30 in just 6.3 overs to clinch their first Test win against Pakistan.
Being down by a Test, Pakistan were in a commanding position at 107 for 1 but lost 9 wickets for 167 runs and were dismissed for 274 in the first innings. Pakistan bowlers rose to the occasion and ripped the Bangladesh top orders and the team was tottering at 26 for 6 in the first innings. But Litton Das (138) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78) compiled a brilliant 165-run partnership and Bangladesh was dismissed for 262 runs. Pakistan were leading by 12 runs.
Bangladesh bowlers led by Hasan Mahmud (5 for 43) and Nahid Rana (4 for 44) put pressure on the Pakistan batsmen and dimissed them for 172 runs in the second innings. Bangladesh were given a target of 185 runs to clinch historic clean sweep.
Though rain threatened the Bangladesh run-chase on the fourth day, the batsmen led by Zakir Hasan (40) and captain Shanto (38) led from the front and put their team in a strong position. Then it was left to the experienced pair of Mushfiqur Rahim (..) and Sakib Al Hasan (..) to take Bangladesh home.
Heroesโ welcome awaits, says Najmul
Najmul described the series win as momentous and a heroesโ welcome awaits when they get home to a country which recently saw protests and the overthrow of former premier Sheikh Hasina.
โIt means a lot to Bangladesh cricket and to all the players,โ said the captain.
โI cannot express the feelings but I can say that we all are very happy and overjoyed.
โWhen we came here everybody was determined to do something special and we wanted to win. I am happy that everyone did his job to the best and we have won a historic series.โ
Better bowling side
Bangladesh outplayed the home team in both Tests and were the better bowling side despite having an inexperienced pace attack.
Before this, Bangladeshโs only away Test series wins came in the West Indies in 2009 and Zimbabwe three years ago.
In contrast, Pakistan have now lost six of their last 10 home Tests, drawing the other four.
โIt is extremely disappointing to lose when you start a busy season,โ said skipper Shan Masood, whose team faces England in a three-match home series starting next month.
โIn both the Tests we let them back in the game and in this one from 26-6, so it is something we need to address before our next series.โ
(With inputs from AFP)
