Bangladesh celebrated a historic, first-ever Test series win over Pakistan with a tense six-wicket victory in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, setting the nation up for a monumetal series against India next month.
Shakib Al Hasan hit the winning boundary 25 minutes before tea on the fifth and final day of the second Test to spark jubilation in the away dressing room.
A handful of Bangladesh supporters waving the nation’s flag were also there to see their country win only a third away series in 33 attempts.
Shakib was unbeaten on 21 and Mushfiqur Rahim was on 22 as the visitors painstakingly overhauled the 185-run target to clinch a 2-0 series sweep.
Openers Zakir Hasan (40) and Shadman Islam (24), plus skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (38) and Mominul Haque (34), all put runs on the board to help Bangladesh to a famous win.
Pakistan scored 274 and 172 while Bangladesh recovered from 26-6 to make 262 in their first innings.
Litton Das’s 138 rescued Bangladesh with the bat before fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud (5-43) and Nahid Rana (4-44) wrecked Pakistan on Monday with career-best figures.
Bangladesh won the first Test by 10 wickets -- also in Rawalpindi -- for their first victory over Pakistan in 14 matches.
Posting on X, Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle described the 2-0 victory as Bangladesh’s ‘biggest test series win.’
Skipper Najmul described the series win as a momentous moment for a country recently wracked by protests and the overthrow of former premier Sheikh Hasina.
“It means a lot to Bangladesh cricket and to all the players,” said the captain.
“I cannot express the feelings.”
“When 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.”
Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop expressed his hope on X that the win would provide “the people of Bangladesh some joy and renewed spirit at a much needed time in their history.”
Najmul heaped particular praise on his bowlers, especially allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who finished with 10 wickets off his spin bowling.
“I think the way he bowled in the first innings on this kind of condition, taking five wickets, was great,” he said.
Miraz took 5-61 in the first innings of the second test, dismissing Pakistan captain Shan Masood on 57 to break his 107-run partnership with opener Saim Ayub, who Miraz dismissed for 58 in the 33rd over.
Miraz also made an impressive 78 in a stand of 165 with Litton Das that lifted Bangladesh when they were in serious trouble in their first innings, with the pair putting on a 165-run partnership.
Apart from that, Bangladesh outplayed the home team in both Tests and were the better bowling side, despite having an inexperienced pace attack.
Before this, Bangladesh’s 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, with Bhogle stating that he feels the nation’s long form cricket has fallen as its stocks in the shorter formats continue to rise.
“It is extremely disappointing to lose when you start a busy season,” said Pakistan skipper Shan Masood, whose team faces England in a daunting three-match home series starting next month.
“In 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.
“We are not finishing games and not learning from our mistakes,” added Masood, who has now lost all five Tests since being appointed last year, including 3-0 against Australia earlier this year.
The series win sets Bangladesh up for a huge series away in India in September-October, with the first Test beginning in Chennai on 19 September.
Bangladesh and India have contested five Test series’ since the turn of the century, with India winning all five, including a 2-0 series win in their most recent clash back in 2022-23.
Bangladesh last travelled to India for a Test series in 2019, losing 2-0 on that occasion. Of the side that lost the second test to a Virat Kohli-led India side by an innings and 46 runs only five players featured in the most recent Test win over Pakistan.
Such has been the nation’s congested short form schedule this year, which included the T20 World Cup in the middle of the year, India have not contested a Test match since downing Brendon McCullum’s England by an innings and 64 runs in March.
India convincingly downed ‘Bazball’ 4-1, with opener Yashavi Jaiswal announcing himself to the world stage with a 712-run series - the third highest number of runs scored by an Indian batsman in a single series.
The series will serve as a prelude for a busy summer of Test cricket for the Indian side, who follow their two-test Bangladesh series with a three-test clash against New Zealand.
However, the biggest test of India’s calendar year will come this summer when the nation travels to Australia to contest the Border-Gavaskar trophy against Pat Cummins’ Australia.
India currently hold the trophy after beating Australia during their most recent series in 2022-23.
