Off-spinner Sajid Khan claimed 4-86 and finished with a match haul of 12 wickets as Pakistan defied fading light to beat Bangladesh by an innings and eight runs and take the two-Test series 2-0 in Dhaka on Wednesday.
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan let Bangladesh's middle order in a brave resistance but could not salvage a draw as the hosts' last wicket fell just minutes before sunset.
Shakib top-scored for Bangladesh with 63 off 130 balls and in the process made an all-round career double of 4,000 runs and 200 wickets, the quickest in history and beating a record long held by Ian Botham.
But despite a 51-run partnership with Mehidy Hossain for the seventh wicket, Bangladesh's hopes were dashed when Pakistan skipper Babar Azam trapped his teammate.
"I felt that I needed to bowl at that stage and really happy I got that wicket," said Babar of his maiden Test wicket.
"Our batsmen and especially openers gave us a good start and our mindset was just to dominate despite the bad weather," he added.
Sajid, who took 8-42 in the first innings, broke through the defence of Shakib in the next over to bowl him out.
He also took the final two wickets when the light started dimming, which prevented Pakistan's fast bowlers from bowling at the tail-enders.
Mushfqur Rahim and Liton Das earlier scored 48 and 45 runs respectively for Bangladesh, but two wickets apiece from Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi held the side to 25-4 after Pakistan forced the follow-on.
Mushfiqur made decent partnerships with Liton and Shakib before he was run out on the stroke of tea.
"In the second innings we had an opportunity to play better than the first," said Bangladesh captain Monimul Haque.
"Though some of our senior players played well, we couldn't hang on."
The hosts could only add another 11 runs to their first innings total after resuming with three wickets remaining to get dismissed for 87, their lowest score on home soil and 213 behind Pakistan.
Sajid struck in his first over of the morning to trap Taijul Islam leg before for a duck before Afridi bowled Khaled Ahmed for none in the next over.
Shakib Al Hasan was the last man dismissed when he holed out a catch to Azhar Ali at short cover off Sajid after making 33 runs, the highest in Bangladesh innings.
Only 63.2 overs of play were possible in the first three days because of rain and bad light.
Pakistan declared their first innings with 300-4.
Pakistan won the first Test in Chittagong by eight wickets.
They finished the tour unbeaten, having won the preceding three-match Twent20 series 3-0.
UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.
Investment gap
Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.
Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, noted “The UK can lead globally in medicines and vaccines, unlocking billions in R&D investment and improving patient access but only if barriers are removed and innovation rewarded.”
The UK invests just 9% of healthcare spending in medicines, compared with 17% in Spain, and only 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications, compared to 90% in Germany.
Expert reviews
Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of Pharmacy Business, pointed that “The government’s own review shows the sector is underfunded by about £2 billion per year. To make transformation a reality, this gap must be closed with clear plans for investment in people, premises and technology.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold £20,000 to £30,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) — has remained unchanged for over two decades, delaying or deterring new medicine launches. Raising it is viewed as vital to attracting foreign investment, expanding patient access, and maintaining the UK’s global standing in life sciences.
Guy Oliver, General Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb UK and Ireland, noted that " the current VPAG rate is leaving UK patients behind other countries, forcing cuts to NHS partnerships, clinical trials, and workforce despite government growth ambitions".
Reeves’ push for reform, supported by the ABPI’s Competitiveness Framework, underlines Britain’s intent to stay a leading hub for pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring NHS patients will gain faster access to new treatments.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.