 "PAK vs BAN: Bangladesh Shocks Pakistan With Historic 10 Wicket Test Victory In Rawalpindi")
PAK vs BAN: In a landmark achievement for Bangladesh cricket, the team secured its first-ever Test victory against Pakistan, winning by a significant margin in the historic city of Rawalpindi. This monumental win not only marks Bangladesh's progress in the longest format of the game but also signifies a major turning point in their cricketing journey. The triumph has been hailed as one of the most significant achievements in the country’s cricketing history, as they finally managed to break their winless streak against their formidable neighbors in Test cricket.
Bangladesh had chosen to bowl first and got off to a great start, reducing Shan Masood's Pakistan team to 16 for three on the opening day. However, thanks to strong centuries from middle-order batsman Saud Shakeel (141) and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan (171), Pakistan declared their first innings at a strong total of 448 for six. Pakistan, who played with an all-pace attack for the first time in 28 years, found themselves on the back foot as Bangladesh responded powerfully, scoring 565 runs and securing a lead of 117 runs. Veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim led the charge with a superb 191 off 341 balls, supported by solid fifties from Shadman Islam (93) and Mehidy Hasan (77).
On the fifth day of the match, Pakistan collapsed dramatically after starting the day at 23 for one. They lost half of their batsmen with just 104 runs on the board. Spinners Mehidy Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan took charge, claiming seven wickets between them and bowling Pakistan out for a mere 146 runs.
This victory marked Bangladesh’s first Test win over Pakistan in 14 attempts, having lost 12 matches and drawn one since their first encounter in 2001. With this win, Bangladesh has now beaten nine out of the 11 Test-playing nations they have faced, with only India and South Africa remaining unbeaten by them.
This victory was Bangladesh's 20th in Test cricket out of 143 matches, and it was their seventh win away from home. The Tigers have previously secured victories twice each in the West Indies and Zimbabwe, and once in Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
Following this win, Bangladesh also moved ahead of Pakistan in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 points table. This was Bangladesh's second win in five games in this cycle, while Pakistan dropped to the eighth spot after suffering their fourth defeat in six matches, bringing their points percentage down to 30.55.
The win was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Bangladesh team and their fans, as it marked a historic moment in their cricketing narrative. Shakib Al Hasan was named the Player of the Match for his all-round performance, and he dedicated the victory to the people of Bangladesh. The historic win in Rawalpindi will be remembered for years to come, symbolizing Bangladesh’s rise as a competitive force in Test cricket.
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