A deluge in Dhaka, of emotions and seasonal flood, and monsoon rain in Rawalpindi failed to subdue Bangladeshi spirit. On Tuesday, the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Tigers defeated Pakistan by six wickets at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium to complete a historic Test series sweep of Pakistan. (Ball-by-ball Commentary | More Cricket News)
Chasing 185 runs in the fourth innings of the second and concluding Test, Bangladesh needed another 143 on the final day of the short tour, a tour which many have termed indulgent.
The Pakistan sojourn, however, turned out to be just the perfect outlet of joy for many Bangladeshis. They love cricket and every win is as big as it gets. But beat Pakistan, and there's unbounded delight -- one commodity which is in short supply in Bangladesh.
The Rawalpindi double marked Bangladesh's first-ever Test series win over Pakistan, and this 2-0 sweep in an ICC World Test Championship series will go down as one of the greatest moments in the history of Bangladeshi sport.
Bangladesh ace the chase
Resuming on the overnight score of 42 for 0, Bangladesh lost both openers -- Zakir Hasan (40) and Shadman Islam (24) -- in quick succession. But Shanto, the enterprising captain, and veteran Mominul Haque dropped anchor to build a decisive third-wicket stand of 57 runs.
Pakistan, who dropped mercurial pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah from the playing XI, did manage to delay the inevitable, but only until 56 overs. When Mushfiqur Rahim, the hero of the first Test, arrived in the middle after the fall of Shanto (38) in the 38th over, Bangladesh were only 58 runs adrift from the target.
Mominul Haque lost his wicket in the 44th over after compiling a patient 34 off 71, and his fall brought two Bangladesh legends together. Shakib Al Hasan joined Rahim to fight another battle.
Shakib hit the winning runs, a nonchalant boundary to end unbeaten on 21 off 43 balls. Originally scheduled to be played in Karachi, the second match was reduced to a four-day affair with no play on Day 1 due to rain.
In a slugfest, Bangladesh fought back from 26 for 6 to concede only 12 first innings runs thanks to Litton Das' sensational knock. Batting at number seven, the 29-year-old scored 138 off 228 balls and added 165 runs with No. 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Chasing history, Bangladesh found another pair of heroes in unheralded pacers -- Hasan Mahmud (5/43) and Nahid Rana (4/44) -- who together with experienced Taskin Ahmed (1/40) wrapped up Pakistan's second innings for 172 all out. This was the first time that Bangladesh seamers took all ten wickets in Test cricket.
Cricket in times of trouble
Najmul Hossain Shanto & Co. embarked on the tour of Pakistan against the backdrop of political upheaval, which led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and eventual dissolution of parliament.
Preparations were hampered and there were uncertainties, on many levels. The Bangladesh Cricket Board itself was in disarray. And the selection of star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan in the squad didn't help matters either.
The former national team captain, who now dabbles in politics, was charged guilty by association -- he won a parliamentary seat as an Awami League, Hasina's party, candidate in the 2024 general election. The 37-year-old was even named as one of the accused in an alleged murder during the unrest.
The cricketers, however, were united. As professionals playing cricket at the highest level, the visiting Bangladeshis produced a collective effort to not only create history in Pakistan but also exorcise the demons of the past.
Having failed to win a single Test match against Pakistan in 13 previous attempts before the start of the series, Bangladesh have now registered two wins in a fortnight.
The two teams met in the game's traditional format for the first time in 2001, with Pakistan winning the Multan Test by an innings and 264 runs. It took Bangladesh some 15 years and nine attempts to share the honours for the first time, by way of a draw at Khulna in 2015.
