Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Lead Bangladesh to Historic Maiden Test Victory Over Pakistan
News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/25th August 2024
In a remarkable display of spin bowling, Bangladesh secured their first-ever Test victory over Pakistan, triumphing by 10 wickets on the fifth day of the opening Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on August 25. Pakistan, starting the final day at 23/1, faced a daunting task as they trailed by 94 runs in their first innings. The day, however, belonged to Bangladesh’s spin duo of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan, who dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup to bowl them out for 146 runs.
The day began with Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud making an early breakthrough, dismissing Pakistan captain Shan Masood for 14 in just the second over. This early wicket set the tone for the day as Pakistan struggled to recover. Babar Azam, tasked with leading the recovery, was dropped by Litton Das while on duck. Despite a promising start, Babar could not convert his innings into a substantial score, falling for 22 to Nahid Rana, leaving Pakistan in a precarious position at 66/3.
As Pakistan’s batting woes continued, the pressure mounted on Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan. Shakeel, who had been impressive in the first innings, was dismissed for a duck by Shakib Al Hasan, further deepening Pakistan’s troubles. Despite a brief recovery with a partnership between Rizwan and opener Abdullah Shafique, which reduced the deficit to 13 runs, the innings soon fell apart. Shafique was dismissed for 37 by Shakib, and shortly after, Rizwan faced the daunting task of salvaging the innings single-handedly.
The dismissal of Shafique triggered a collapse, with Mehidy Hasan taking the crucial wicket of Agha Salman for a golden duck. Pakistan, trailing by nine runs at lunch with a score of 108/6, seemed to be on the brink of a dramatic collapse. Post-lunch, Bangladesh’s bowlers continued their relentless assault, with Mehidy and Shakib removing Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, respectively. This left Pakistan reeling at 118/8.
Despite Rizwan’s resilient half-century, which provided some resistance, the Bangladesh bowlers remained relentless. Mehidy Hasan returned to claim the pivotal wicket of Rizwan for 51, and soon after, he dismissed Mohammad Ali to wrap up Pakistan’s innings at 146. Bangladesh’s achievement was significant as it marked their first Test victory over Pakistan after 15 encounters.
In the first innings, Bangladesh had set the stage for their historic win with impressive performances. Mushfiqur Rahim scored a stellar 191, while Mehidy Hasan contributed a valuable 77, helping Bangladesh post a formidable total of 565. Pakistan had earlier managed to score 448/6 in their first innings, thanks to notable innings from Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel.
Bangladesh’s triumph in this Test not only signifies a historic achievement but also highlights the team’s growing prowess in Test cricket. The effective spin duo of Shakib and Mehidy, combined with a solid first-innings performance, ensured that Bangladesh could finally celebrate a long-awaited victory against their cricketing rivals.
