Kamal Ghorui
A dramatic final-session collapse in Dhaka saw Pakistan suffer a 104-run defeat against Bangladesh in the opening Test on Tuesday, as Nahid Rana’s five-wicket burst turned the match on its head and gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.Chasing 268, Pakistan appeared to be in control for long stretches of the final day, especially after Abdullah Fazal’s composed 66 had anchored their resistance. At tea, Shan Masood’s side were still in the contest with just three wickets down and hopes of a draw very much alive.Earlier, two fifty-plus partnerships had kept Pakistan afloat, and a key sixth-wicket stand between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel added another 31 runs. At that stage, Pakistan were 152 for five, needing 116 more with plenty of batting left.During that phase, a controversial stump mic moment involving Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das caught attention. He was heard making a sharp remark aimed at Rizwan, saying, “They are now trying to save the Test. They have no chance of winning. Rizwan’s reputation is really bad back in Pakistan. If he gets out trying to hit a big shot, he won’t even be able to set foot back in the country — his reputation is that bad.”However, Pakistan’s innings fell apart almost immediately after tea. From a relatively stable position, they lost seven wickets in the final session for just 163, collapsing under relentless pressure. Nahid Rana led the charge with 5 for 40, claiming four of the last five wickets as Pakistan’s resistance completely unravelled. Earlier in the match, Pakistan had come close to Bangladesh’s first-innings total of 413 by posting 386, with rain on Days 3 and 4 disrupting momentum and limiting game time. Bangladesh then declared at 240 for 9, setting a target of 268 in what became a finely poised final day. This defeat marked Pakistan’s first-ever Test loss in Bangladesh, having previously won seven of eight matches there with one draw. It also extended Bangladesh’s dominance with a third consecutive Test win over Pakistan since their 2024 series victory. Pakistan now join Zimbabwe as the only teams to lose three straight Tests against Bangladesh, with the second and final Test set for Sylhet on Saturday.
