Kamal Ghorui
Nahid Rana produced a match-defining spell as Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by 104 runs in the rain-affected first Test in Dhaka on Tuesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series after a dramatic final-day collapse. Chasing 268 for victory, Pakistan national cricket team were still in the contest at 119 for 3 and later 163 all out, as Bangladesh pulled off a memorable win in Mirpur. The visitors had briefly rebuilt their innings through debutant Abdullah Fazal, who played a composed knock of 66, but once his wicket fell early in the final session, the chase unravelled quickly.
Fazal’s dismissal came after a sharp turning delivery from Taijul Islam trapped him lbw, confirmed on review, and Pakistan’s resistance crumbled almost immediately. Salman Ali Agha fell in the very next over, edging to slip, shifting momentum firmly in Bangladesh’s favour. From there, Rana took full control of the game. Despite conceding runs early, he returned with devastating effect, removing Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Hasan Ali, Noman Ali, and Shaheen Afridi. His spell included a 147 kph nip-backer that cleaned up Rizwan, highlighting his growing reputation as Bangladesh’s emerging pace leader. Earlier, Bangladesh had posted a strong total built around Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 87, setting Pakistan a target that always looked challenging on a wearing final-day pitch. Pakistan’s chase had started cautiously after losing Imam-ul-Haq before lunch, but Fazal’s counterattack briefly revived hopes. However, Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling attack ensured constant pressure, eventually forcing a collapse that saw five wickets fall in the final session. This result marks Bangladesh’s third consecutive Test win over Pakistan and their first home victory against them, underlining a new era of confidence in red-ball cricket.
