Sports Desk:

That’s it. Bangladesh have done it. After 13 failed attempts, 21 years after the Multan heartbreak, Bangladesh have finally managed to beat Pakistan in Test cricket.

And they have done it in style, with the two openers — Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan — striking off the deficit in a canter to register a 10-wicket win in Rawalpindi.

What Bashar, Rafique, Sujon and Co could not do in Multan, Shanto, Mushfiqur, Shakib and others have done in 2024. It was a complete team performance from Bangladesh, with Mushfiqur Rahim leading with a 191-run knock. There were four more half-centuries in Bangladesh’s only innings.

With the ball, the pavers had shone in the first innings, but it was the spinners who quite incredibly turned a seemingly solid game into full of excitement with excellent bowling on a fifth-day pitch.

Rizwan perishes after 50, Pakistan all out for 146

Mehedi Hasan Miraz took four wickets while Shakib Al Hasan took three as Bangladesh bowled out Pakistan for 146, the lowest total for Pakistan against Bangladesh in Test cricket.

The three pacers — Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana took a wicket apiece as Bangladesh were left with only 30 runs to chase for a history first-ever victory against Pakistan.

Mohammad Rizwan perished while trying to sweep Miraz from outside the off-stump, soon after reaching his half-century. The wicketkeeper-batter had reached 51 runs off 80 when he tried to sweep Miraz from outside the line. All he managed was to drag the ball back into the stumps, with it bringing down Pakistan’s last hope of an escape.

Pakistan were only leading by 25 runs with one wicket left.

Mehdi Hasan Miraz sent Shaheen Shah Afridi back with a delivery which almost crawled along the ground and hit Afridi in front of stumps. The hosts were still in deficit with three wickets in hand.

Naseem Shah did not last long, departed for three odd 22 balls while trying to hit his way out of trouble against Shakib.

Pakistan 108-6 at lunch

Bangladesh bowlers are wreaking havoc on the Pakistani batting, reducing the hosts to  Pakistan to 108 for six as the visitors look for a first-ever win against Pakistan in Test cricket.

Pakistan were still trailing by nine runs, with two sessions left in the game.

Pakistan started the fifth day with just one wicket lost, but the  Bangladesh pacers applied heavy pressure to eke out two wickets in the first session before the spinners joined  the party.

Pakistan skipper Shan Masood (14) was the first to fall, edging one to the keeper off Hasan Mahmud. Then Shoriful Islam, who had Babar Azam dismissed for a duck in the first innings, induced an edge from the master batter on naught, only to see Luton Das put down the straightforward opportunity.

However, young pacer Nahid Rana bowled Babar (22) and then Shakib Al Hasan dismissed Saud Shakeel for a duck as Bangladesh were looking to apply the screws on the Pakistani batters.

Opener Abdullah Shafique was the next to fall, his 37-run vigil ended by Shakib as the batter played a rash shot, only to be caught by with Shadman Islam. Soon, Mehdi Hasan Miraz had Agha Salman caught by Shadman for naught as Pakistan were looking down the barrel.

Mohammad Rizwan was looking to be aggressive with Shaheen Afridi at the other end, but with the wicket offering turn for spinners, Bangladesh were firmly on top.