BANGLADESH defeated Pakistan by 104 runs in the first Test in Dhaka on Tuesday after a final-day collapse handed the hosts a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Pace bowler Nahid Rana took five wickets as Pakistan, chasing 268 for victory, slipped from 119-3 to 163 all out in the final session. Debutant Abdullah Fazal scored 66 in a losing effort.
It was Bangladesh’s first Test win against Pakistan on home soil and their third overall against them.
Fazal, 23, added 51 runs with Salman Agha, who made 26, to revive Pakistan’s chase before Rana finished with career-best figures of 5-40.
The 23-year-old Rana used pace and reverse swing to trouble Pakistan’s batting line-up. In his final spell of 4.5 overs, he took four wickets for 10 runs to turn the match in Bangladesh’s favour.
“Very happy -- proud of all the guys, the way we played,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.
“We have been working hard over the last few months and slowly we are getting better at Test cricket -- that's one thing we have always wanted to do.”
The win also saw Shanto equal Mushfiqur Rahim’s record of seven Test wins as Bangladesh captain. Shanto reached the mark in 17 matches, while Mushfiqur needed 34.
Shanto leads with the bat
Bangladesh resumed day five on 152-3 with a lead of 179 runs, but lost wickets regularly despite Shanto’s 87.
The hosts declared their second innings on 240-9, setting Pakistan a target of 268 on a pitch offering increasing assistance to the bowlers.
Taskin Ahmed dismissed opener Imam-ul-Haq for two, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled debutant and first-innings centurion Azan Awais for 15.
Rana then removed Pakistan captain Shan Masood for two before Fazal and Agha counter-attacked in a fourth-wicket stand.
Bangladesh’s bowlers, however, held their nerve in the final session to close out the match.
Rana struck key blows by having Saud Shakeel caught behind before producing a 147 kmph inswinging yorker to bowl Mohammad Rizwan for 15.
He then trapped Noman Ali lbw and dismissed Shaheen Shah Afridi with a short ball, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy completing the catch.
Pakistan captain Masood said his team failed to make use of key moments in the match.
“In the first innings, with bat and ball, we needed to do better,” he said. “When you have the game in your hands you have to push the opposition away, but we failed to do that.”
Shanto also made an impact with the bat in the first innings, scoring 101 to guide Bangladesh to 413.
Pakistan replied with 386 but conceded a small lead after off-spinner Mehidy returned figures of 5-102.
Rain interrupted play on the third and fourth days, with overs lost on both days.
The second Test starts in Sylhet on Saturday.
