- Thursday, March 13, 2025
Bangladesh won the opening test by 10 wickets, their first ever test victory over Pakistan
By: Shajil Kumar
BANGLADESH beat Pakistan by six wickets in the second test to complete a 2-0 series sweep in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Zakir Hasan (40), Najmul Hossain Shanto (38) and Mominul Haq (34) chipped in with useful cameos as Bangladesh chased down the 185-run victory target with more than a session to spare.
The visitors won the opening test by 10 wickets, their first ever test victory over Pakistan.
Resuming the final day on 42 for no wicket, Bangladesh lost Zakir and Shadman Islam in the morning session but their victory never looked in doubt.
Shanto fell after the lunch break and Mominul threw away his wicket but veterans Mushfiqur Rahim, who made 22 not out, and Shakib Al Hasan guided Bangladesh home without any drama.
Shakib, who finished 21 not out, sealed the victory by hitting spinner Abrar Ahmed for four through the covers.
Pakistan scored 274 and 172 in the second Test 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.
This is Bangladesh’s third away series win in 33 attempts, having also beaten the West Indies in 2009 and Zimbabwe three years ago. (Agencies)
Score card
Brief scores after the second and final Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Tuesday:
Pakistan 274 (Saim Ayub 58, Shan Masood 57, Salman Agha 54; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-61, Taskin Ahmed 3-57) and 172 (Salman Agha 47 not out, Mohammad Rizwan 43; Hasan Mahmud 5-43, Nahid Rana 4-44)
Bangladesh 262 (Litton Das 138, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 78; Khurram Shahzad 6-90, Salman Agha 2-13, Mir Hamza 2-50) and 185-4 (Zakir Hasan 40, Najmul Hossain Shanto 38).
Miandad slams Pak team
The stalwarts of Pakistan cricket are deeply upset at the humiliating 0-2 series defeat to Bangladesh.
“It is hurting that our cricket has come to this stage. Bangladesh deserve credit for their disciplined performances. But the way our batting has collapsed in this series is a bad sign,” former Test captain Javed Miandad said.
The second Test saw the Bangladesh batters dominate the second innings after Pakistan dropped pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi from the eleven and rested Naseem Shah.
Pakistan had Bangladesh reeling on 26 for 6 in their first innings before centurion Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz produced a spectacular partnership to rescue their side.
Miandad felt that the players have lost confidence because of the bickering in the Pakistan board.
“I wouldn’t just blame the players because whatever has happened in the board (PCB) in the last one and half years and the captaincy and management changes have affected the team,” he said.
Former captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq said losing three series and going without a win at home in nine Tests was a worrying record.
“Home series were always considered our best chance of beating the best sides in the past. But for this to happen the batsmen need to get runs,” he said.
Pakistan’s record-breaking batsman Younis Khan said when a team enters a losing streak mentally it becomes difficult to come back.
“Our batters have got runs in the past but right now I think they need mental strengthening and a clear mind to overcome this crisis,” he said.
Former Test batter, Ahmed Shezad, however, blasted the batters saying they hopped around against the Bangladesh pacers.
“If you can’t handle a bit of pace and movement even at home then the future is not very bright for us,” he said.
Former Test spinner, Iqbal Qasim asked the team management to groom existing and upcoming spinners as Pakistan’s best chance of doing well at home was through spin bowlers and giving them helpful pitches.
“We don’t have bowlers of the calibre of Sarfaraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar or Shoaib now. So, we should be banking on our spinners to win us Tests at home.”
Now with the latest setback, Pakistan’s chances of even getting close to the final of the World Test Championship appears to have ended.
Captain Shan Masood’s lack of runs has added to his nightmarish run as the leader as he has now lost all five Tests at home, and he was not helped by the struggles of senior batter Babar Azam.
However, the word is that red-ball coach Jason Gillispie and his white-ball counterpart Gary Kirsten have advised the PCB and selectors to not press the panic button as it will further dent the confidence of the players.
Meanwhile, Gillispie and high-performance coach Tim Nielsen will fly home to Australia for a short break. (Agencies)
