Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz alongside the fast bowling duo of Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana were chief architects as Bangladesh won the second test match by 6 wickets and created historic series whitewash for Pakistan winning the 2 match series 2-0. Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the seventh wicket brought Bangladesh back into the game.
Never before had Test cricket witnessed a seventh-wicket partnership of 150 or more runs after the first 6 wickets had fallen for 30 runs or less. Mehidy Hasan Miraz fell for 78, but Litton Das went on to score a century, and with Hasan Mahmud’s support, Bangladesh posted 262, just 12 runs behind Pakistan’s total. Pakistan began positively with Shan Masood and Saim Ayub looking promising. However, Taskin Ahmed’s breakthrough initiated a collapse, and Nahid Rana compounded Pakistan’s woes.
Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman attempted to rebuild after lunch, but Hasan Mahmud struck twice, dismissing Rizwan and leaving Salman to battle with the tail. Salman’s unbeaten 47-run knock gave Pakistan something to bowl at as they folded for 172, setting Bangladesh 185 runs for victory. Hasan Mahmud was the star of the show with a maiden five-wicket haul in just his third Test, while Nahid Rana claimed four wickets
Pitch and Toss
There’s a lot of grass on the pitch, but if the sun beats down and bakes the wicket, it could be a good batting surface, but with all the rain around, there could be some moisture and some early help for the pacers, reckons Nick Compton, in his pitch report
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to field with one change in the Playing XI replacing Shoriful Islam with Taskin Ahmed. Pakistan skipper Shan Masood batting first made 2 changes to the squad replacing Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah with Mir Hamza and Abrar Ahmed .
Day 2 :Pakistan shot out for 274 after Mehidy Hasan Miraz took five-fer in the first innings
The Test match began with a washout on Day 1 due to persistent rain, preventing any play. Day 2 saw clear skies, and Bangladesh won the toss, opting to bowl first. Pakistan had a shaky start with Abdullah Shafique falling early, but fifties from Saim Ayub and Shan Masood stabilized the innings.
Despite their efforts, the middle order struggled to capitalize, and it was Agha Salman’s 54 that guided Pakistan to a total of 274. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the standout for Bangladesh, claiming a five-wicket haul. In reply, Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan survived unscathed to close the day out for Bangladesh.
Put in to bat first by Bangladesh, Pakistan got off to a horrid start. Taskin Ahmed in his comeback Test, castled Abdullah Shafique having beautifully set him up. Shan Masood and Saim Ayub put on a 107-run partnership with both batters registering fifties, as the the moisture drained off the surface, making it easier to bat on.
The bowlers were consistent in the first hour, getting the ball to shape in and away from the batters but to no avail. Ayub and Masood rotated the strike well, running plenty of twos and threes due to the bigger boundaries and cashed in on loose deliveries. Ayub hit two sixes over square leg and long-on as Pakistan ended the first session at 99 for 1.
Soon after lunch, Bangladesh came roaring back as Mehidy Hasan Miraz trapped Masood leg-before as he attempted to play across the line. Ayub brought up his fifty with a pull off Nahid Rana to the boundary and then danced down the track to Mehidy Hasan Miraz but was stumped as he played a reckless shot.
Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel began to consolidate after the two quick wickets. Shakeel took the attack to Taskin in as he cut two deliveries through square for four but chopped on two deliveries later. Babar, who looked nonchalant throughout his knock, was trapped in front by Shakib. Babar has now gone 15 innings without a Test match half-century. The veteran allrounder almost had two in the over, as he caught the inside edge of Salman which was grassed at short leg. Pakistan went into Tea at 183 for 5.
Mushfiqur Rahim, hobbled off with an injury holding his shoulder and the tourists shall hope it is only a minor scare. Nahid Rana, the 21-year old fast bowler used his height to his advantage and hit the deck from his very first over, constantly troubling the batters. His effort was finally rewarded as Mohammed Rizwan edged a back-of-a-length delivery to slip, after being stunned by the extra pace and bounce.
Khurram Shahzad was dropped at slip on 9 but his luck didnt last, as he found Shakib at mid-off off Mehidy, having not gotten the required elevation. Mehidy picked up his fourth, being Mohammed Ali who was gobbled up at first slip.
Salman got lucky again, after he edged a ball onto his pads and was caught at slip. But, Bangladesh had lost all of their reviews. He then, farmed the strike and dished out some maximums, bringing up his fifty with one. Taskin picked up his third as he got Salman to pull the ball to fine leg.
Abrar Ahmed dished out some entertainment with a four and a six for the crowd before he was stumped off Mehidy. The offspinner registering a five-fer, with Pakistan bowled out for 274. Entertainment ensued when Bangladesh batted for two overs, as Shadman Islam was dropped first ball at gully by Shakeel while Zakir Hasan almost chopped one back on to the stumps.
A riveting day of Test cricket witnessed Bangladesh bowl out Pakistan for 274 on Day 2 of the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground. Mehidy Hasan starred with the ball picking up a five-fer (5 for 61), with adequate support from Taskin Ahmed (3 for 57). Three Pakistani batters scored half-centuries: Shan Masood (58), Saim Ayub (57) and Salman Ali Agha (54) but they will be disappointed that they couldn’t capitalize on their starts. Bangladesh batted out a couple of tricky overs without losing a wicket before stumps.
Day 3 : Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz turn the tables on Pakistan on gripping day in Rawalpindi.
Litton Das’ (138) fourth Test century, along with a half-century by Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78), headlined Bangladesh’s comeback with the bat on Day 3 of the Rawalpindi Test. The visitors were reeling at 26 for 6 at one stage but hung in there to amass 262, only 12 runs short of Pakistan’s first innings tally. Khurram Shahzad was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 6 for 90.
To kick things off on the third morning, Shahzad and Mir Hamza were on the money straight away for the hosts. Shahzad picked up Zakir Hasan, who clipped one off the pads straight to square leg. He followed it up by bowling Shadman Islam around his legs as the batter lost his balance trying to glance the ball off his pads. Shahzad continued his momentum with a sharp, quick delivery that jagged in and bowled skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto. He picked up these three wickets in five deliveries across two overs.
Hamza complemented Shahzad as Mominul Haque chipped a slower delivery from the bowler to mid-on. Mushfiqur Rahim got a jaffa from the left-arm quick as well, which he nicked behind to the keeper. Shahzad picked up his fourth when he trapped Shakib al Hasan, who played down the wrong line, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 26 for 6.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz began the counterattack against Hamza with a couple of boundaries, while Litton followed suit against Shahzad. Having comfortably played Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Ali, Bangladesh broke for lunch at 75 for 6.
The pair, who added 165 for the seventh wicket, continued their counterattacking approach into the afternoon session, with Shahzad being taken to the cleaners for six boundaries across his two overs. Both batters capitalized on the older ball and rotated the strike brilliantly en route to their half-centuries. They brought up the 100-run partnership with a boundary through gully.
Shahzad, working under additional workload in the absence of Mohammad Ali during the session, was pulled away for six by both batters as the 150-run partnership was raised. The fast bowler picked up his fifth when Mehidy Hasan Miraz chipped one back to him and followed it up by trapping Taskin in front of the stumps just before tea.
Litton farmed the strike with No. 10 batter Hasan Mahmud at the other end, and in the process, took on Abrar down the ground after the bowler had dropped him off his own bowling. He followed it up with a dab behind point for four a few overs later, bringing up his fourth Test hundred. Litton took the aggressive route against any loose deliveries, clearing the infield for boundaries and the ropes as well on a couple of occasions for sixes.
Skipper Shan Masood put down a simple chance off Mahmud, with Pakistan seeming jaded in the heat. Mahmud and Litton put on 69 runs in 24.5 overs before the latter holed out to long-on off Salman Agha. No. 11 Nahid Rana didn’t trouble the scorers, but Bangladesh had gotten close enough to Pakistan’s total in the first innings, turning the tables firmly back on the hosts.
Pakistan had to endure four overs with the bat in a short session of play towards the end of the day, but Abdullah Shafique’s miserable form continued, the opener nicking behind one from Hasan Mahmud. Nightwatchman Shahzad couldn’t fulfill his role either as he was bowled by Mahmud two overs later, leaving the hosts reeling at 9 for 2.
Day 4 : Hasan Mahmud picks five as Bangladesh eye series win
Pakistan began the second session with their backs to the wall already as they’d lost four wickets to pace in the morning period. Rana had forced poor decision making from three Pakistan batters – Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel – before Lunch that left them six down with Mohammad Rizwan having to mop up the mess.
First to go was the Pakistan captain Masood, who chased a length delivery outside the off-stump and nicked it behind to the keeper Litton Das. Babar’s woeful run in Tests since the start of 2023 extended to yet another innings as he fell for just 11. The former captain pushed a back of a length ball away from his body and was caught by Shadman Islam at first slip.
Rizwan too found life difficult early on, and even copped a bouncer on his helmet. In the same over, Rana went round the stumps to the left-handed Saud Shakeel and got him to edge behind to Litton. Rizwan and Agha Salman rode out the last nine overs of the morning session.
Pakistan were eight down and grey overheads began to loom. While Salman attempted to stretch the lead, Abrar Ahmed hung around for six overs before Rana came back to bounce out the tailender. Abrar attempted to back away but ended up poking at the rising delivery and hitting it to Najmul at first slip. No. 11 batter Mir Hamza stayed on while Salman pushed for quick runs, but that only went on for five more overs. Mahmud put an end to it with the wicket of Hamza, completing his fifer in the process.
Bangladesh openers then saw off a short period of play unscathed, until the Tea break. Zakir was the more proactive of the two batters, flicking and pulling Khurram Shahzad for two sixes. The pacer kept angling the ball into the left-hander from round the stumps and was repeatedly punished. When the Tea break came, Bangladesh were 37/0 in just 6 overs. They pushed it to 42/0 in the only over bowled after the break.
With majority of the final session lost on Day 4, Bangladesh now have three sessions on the final day to get the remaining 143 runs and secure the series sweep.
Bangladesh pace duo Hasan Mahmud picked a fifer while Nahid Rana snared four as Pakistan were bowled out for just 174 in the post-Lunch period on Day 4 in Rawalpindi. Bangladesh, chasing just 185 for a historic 2-0 series win, made a brisk start through openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam to close out the second session. Just one over of play in the final session was possible before bad light and rain brought an early end to Day 4.
Day 5 : Clinical Bangladesh complete historic series 2-0 sweep of Pakistan
Shadman Islam’s confident punch for a boundary off Mohammad Ali, off the second ball, got Bangladesh going on the final day. Meanwhile, the Pakistan pacers also bowled good lines and had the openers on their toes. There were some play-and-misses and also a bottom edge off Zakir Hasan’s bat in Mohammad Ali’s over which wasn’t picked by the home team as they failed to appeal.
The openers extended their partnership past fifty, raising Bangladesh’s first fifty-plus opening stand since December 2022. Zakir made a well-compiled 40 but his outing was cut short by Mir Hamza who got one to hold the line, beat the outside edge and have him bowled.
Pakistan’s disciplined bowling meant run-scoring wasn’t easy for the Bangladesh batters. After three successive maidens, Shadman put away a full delivery on the pads from Hamza for a four. He also got a lucky break in Hamza’s next over as Agha Salman put down a tough chance diving to his left from second slip. In the same over, Shadman put away a short ball past cover for another four. But he had to depart when he handed a catch at mid off attempting to drive a Khurram Shahzad delivery.
At the start of the second session, the groundsmen were getting the covers ready beyond the boundary ropes, perhaps anticipating some rain. Pakistan, meanwhile, began in tidy fashion with Salman and Hamza bowling a couple of maidens. Najmul then provided some urgency with a reverse-swept four off Salman.
But he fell soon after, handing a catch to short leg, ending a 57-run second wicket stand. Mominul cut away a short ball in the same over and Rahim was busy from the start of his innings, picking up singles and twos, bringing the target below 50. Hamza found the outside edge of Mominul’s bat but the ball travelled through the vacant second slip region for a four.
Pakistan reviewed twice in Abrar Ahmed’s over but Rahim survived both times, with replays revealing a spike when he tried to sweep. Pakistan kept it tight, even as the overhead conditions darkened a bit, as Bangladesh reached 150. Trying to force the pace, Mominul (34) miscued to mid off, as Abrar picked up his first wicket of the match. Abrar troubled Shakib at the start of his innings but the left-hander settled down and rotated the strike along with Rahim, as Bangladesh inched closer.
Abrar was warned twice for landing on the danger area of the pitch and was also hit for a straight six by Shakib. After a few singles, Rahim top-edged a pull off Ali for a boundary before Shakib hit the winning boundary, off Abrar, as the Bangladesh dressing room went ecstatic in celebrations.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Najmul Hossain Shanto the winning skipper said : Means a lot, can’t express in words. Really happy. We were looking to win here and very happy with the way everyone has done their job. Very impressive, the work ethic of our pacers was great and that’s why we got the result. Everyone is honest with themselves and they want to win, I hope they continue. Joy missed out because of a niggle, and the way Shadman batted in the first Test was excellent.
And even Zakir in this Test, came out positive and got us the momentum. Next series is very important and this win gives us a lot of confidence. We have a lot of experience in Mushi and Shakib, and they will be important in India. (On Miraz) The way he bowled and took 5 wickets in these conditions is very impressive, and hope he can do the same against India.
Everyone has chipped in, especially those who weren’t getting chances. The 4 guys who weren’t in the XI but helping the team in the field was very impressive. I hope this culture can continue. The party is the manager’s call, we have to travel as well but we will go well!
Shan Masood the loosing skipper said : Extremely disappointed, we were excited for the home season. The story has been the same as Australia, we have not learnt our lessons. We taught we were playing good cricket in Australia but not doing the job, that’s something we need to work on. It has happened 4 times in my tenure that we have left the team back into the contest when we were dominating. I think Test cricket demands something else in terms of fitness.
We played 4 fast bowlers in the first Test and the reason was we thought the workload would be too much for three people to manage. And that was proved in this game when we lost a fast bowler in each innings. I think even in this Test match, having just 3 bowlers and 2 spinners was less, we could have done with another pacer.
274 was a good score in the first innings, me and Saim could have got more runs like Litton. But we should have done better from having them at 26/6.
That’s something we need to work on and work on quickly. It isn’t all doom and gloom, there are always learnings. We got Shaheen and Naseem back in the fold, Shaheen has played consistently for a year across formats and we can’t keep throwing him in the deep end. But we need to get fitter, neater and prepare better. It is going to be a long Test and domestic season and we need to be better prepared for England.
Litton Das was Player of the Match for his 138 runs said : Just believed in myself, Pakistan bowled well in that spell but me and Miraz wanted to just bat long. He hit a four and a six and then the momentum shifted. When Hasan came, I didn’t have many scoring opportunities, so I took time and wanted to play as many overs as possible.
Credit to Hasan as well for batting really well. I like keeping in Tests, that is my role and when I do well behind the wicket, the team does well too. When we came here, things back home weren’t up to the mark, but we came here and practiced hard. It is all about team effort, credit to all and the coaching staff. Not easy playing in this kind of heat.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz for his all round performance was Player of the Series said : I’m really happy, first time out of the country that I have got a Man of the Series award. It is a tough job playing as all rounder, but I just wanted to rotate strike and enjoyed batting with Mushi and Litton Das. Really happy that I got five wickets, will try to bowl even better.
I didn’t play the T20 World Cup, I had some time back home and credit goes to the management back home and the efforts they have put in. The team is very happy with my performance, they keep supporting me. This moment is one of the happiest for me.
The platform for Bangladesh’s victory was set up by Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz on Days 2 and 3. After the opening day’s play was washed out completely, Bangladesh put Pakistan in to bat on Day 2 and saw them get off to a good start, with Shan Masood and Saim Ayub scoring fifties. Bangladesh, though, hit back with regular wickets and despite Salman scoring a fifty, they managed to restrict Pakistan to 274 in their first essay. Bangladesh’s reply began disastrously as they were reduced to 26/6 with Shahzad running through the batting order.
But Litton’s 138 and his 165-run seventh wicket stand with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78) helped Bangladesh finish close to Pakistan’s total as the hosts got a lead of 12. Bangladesh stepped up with the ball brilliantly on Day 4, bowling Pakistan out for 172 thanks to Hasan Mahmud’s maiden five-wicket haul and a career-best 4 for 44 from Nahid Rana.
Bangladesh were off the blocks quickly in the latter part of Day 4 with Zakir playing positively. But bad light and rain combined to bring an early end to the penultimate day. Bangladesh had one eye on the skies on the final day, with thunderstorms forecast for Tuesday. But the weather gods were kind enough to keep the rain away, and the top order came to the party, paving the way for a clinical Bangladesh win.
What a moment for Test cricket! Not many gave Bangladesh a prayer when they landed in Rawalpindi. Not many would have given them a chance to win a series even after they won the first Test, even fewer after the first day of this Test was washed out. But the Bangla Tigers have prowled on away turf and the roar will resonate all over the cricket world.
Choosing to bowl first, Bangladesh bowled out the hosts for 274 in the first innings, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz claiming a fifer. They were in a spot of bother at 26/6 in their first essay, but Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan combined with a superb partnership to save the day. Litton got a century and kept the lead down to just 12 runs.
In the second innings, Bangladesh unleashed the pace of Nahid Rana and the consistency of Hasan Mahmud, as the duo combined to claim 9 wickets and restrict Pakistan to 172. In reply, Bangladesh started positively with Zakir Hasan going on the attack. Things slowed down after a few wickets fell this afternoon, but the experience of Shakib and Rahim got them through the line for a historic series win!!
This is why sport can be a great leveler in this big, wide world. For all the strife that they are facing off the field, this win against one of the former powerhouses of Test cricket would be the exact healing touch that the whole of Bangladesh could benefit from. A win that reiterates the values of teamwork, of dedication, of unity in diversity that could be just the beacon of light for Bangladesh to strive towards in the months to come.
On what will go down as a red-letter day in Bangladesh’s cricket history, their top-order stood tall with important contributions right through as they inflicted a historic 2-0 clean sweep over Pakistan with a six-wicket win on the fifth afternoon in Rawalpindi.
Chasing 185, Zakir Hasan scored 40, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque made steady 30s while the experienced pair of Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan were around to wrap things up, sparking celebratory scenes in the Bangladesh change room. There was a sense of calmness with which Bangladesh went about achieving their third-highest successful fourth-innings chase. After all, there was historical relevance to it.
An overseas Test victory – let alone a series win – is a rare event in Bangladesh cricket. This was only their fourth Test win in seven years on foreign soil and just their third-ever overseas Test series victory. For Pakistan on the other hand, there was more misery, with this loss extending their winless run at home to ten matches. Since a win against South Africa in early February 2021, they have drawn four Tests and lost six, which includes series defeats to Australia, England and now Bangladesh.