Sometimes all you need is a little trigger to spark inspiration and that’s exactly what Bangladesh got. On Monday, Salman Agha issued an open challenge to Bangladesh: give Pakistan 260 in 70 overs if you have guts and we will go for the win. Not only did he say that, but he also hinted that Bangladesh wouldn’t do it, indirectly hinting that the hosts wouldn’t be brave enough.
BAN vs PAK 1st Test Day 5: MAIN | SCORECARD
“We will definitely go for the win. If they are brave enough to do it, give us 70 overs and 260, we will definitely go for the chase. But I don’t think they will,” Salman told a press conference.
The match took a psychological turn. With the threat of rain looming and Bangladesh leading by just 179 runs, the match seemed headed for a draw. But on Day 5, Bangladesh came out of the fire and scored 88 runs in 20 overs before setting Pakistan a target of 268, literally accepting Salman’s challenge.
Bangladesh stopped only after sealing a 104-run victory and lead 1-0 in the two-game series. It was also the first time Bangladesh had beaten Pakistan in a home Test, while also claiming their third consecutive Test victory over Pakistan after their 2–0 series sweep in 2024.
HOW BANGLADESH DELAYED PAKISTAN
After being asked to bat, Bangladesh laid the foundations in the first innings by posting 413, with their batsmen showing much more patience and application on the challenging surface. They then bowled Pakistan out for 386 to secure a valuable 27-run lead, with Mehidy Hasan’s five-wicket haul proving decisive.
Despite rain washing out large parts of Days 3 and 4, Bangladesh maintained an attacking mindset. Resuming on 179 on day five, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto led from the front with a fluent 87 as Bangladesh accelerated their scoring to declare at 240 for 9, setting Pakistan a challenging target of 268 on a deteriorating pitch.
Pakistan’s chase never picked up steam. Taskin Ahmed’s early knocks put the visitors under pressure before young fast bowler Nahid Rana produced the match-defining spell. After Pakistan briefly recovered through Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, Nahid dismissed both key batsmen and tore through the lower order with raw pace and discipline.
Abdullah Fazal fought hard with 66 but Pakistan’s batting again crumbled under pressure as Bangladesh completed a famous victory to secure crucial World Test Championship points.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
May 12, 2026 5:37 PM IST
