Nahid Rana claimed five wickets as Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 104 runs in a rain-affected first Test in Dhaka on Tuesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Chasing 268 for victory, Pakistan were 119-3 and in contention before collapsing to 163 all out in the final session.
Debutant Abdullah Fazal top-scored with a valiant 66, putting on 51 runs with Salman Agha, who made 26, to briefly raise hopes of a Pakistan victory. Rana ended those hopes with figures of 5-40.
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Bangladesh entered the final day with a lead of 179 runs at 152-3 but lost wickets in a cluster despite captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 87.
They declared their second innings on 240-9, setting Pakistan a competitive target and leaving their bowlers time to work on a turning pitch.
Taskin Ahmed removed opener Imam-ul-Haq for two early in Pakistan’s chase, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled first-innings centurion Azan Awais for 15. The Fazal and Agha partnership threatened to take the game away from Bangladesh, but the home bowlers held their nerve to seal victory in the final session.
Shanto was the standout performer across the match, scoring 101 in the first innings to guide Bangladesh to 413. Pakistan responded strongly with 386, but conceded a slender first-innings lead after Mehidy returned figures of 5-102.
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Rain interrupted play on the third and fourth days, adding uncertainty to an already tightly contested match.
Bangladesh now head to Sylhet for the second and final Test, which begins on Saturday, with momentum firmly on their side.
– AFP
Photo: Sameera Peiris/Getty Images
