MM News

Pakistan wins first Test against Bangladesh by 8 wickets

DHAKA: Pakistan won the first Test against Bangladesh by eight wickets after a brilliant century stand for the first wicket between Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique in Chattogram to lead the series 1-nil.

Pakistan needed just 93 runs to win on the final day. Abid Ali remained not out on 56 runs and Abdullah Shafique scored 53, becoming the fifth Pakistan player to score two fifties on Test debut.

The pair had put on 146 for the opening stand in the first innings. It was only the second time Pakistan openers put on a century stand in both innings of a Test.

On the final day, Abid Ali was dismissed by Taijul Islam after scoring 91 runs while Abdullah Shafique was lbw off Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Azhar Ali scored 24 runs and Babar Azam Azam was not out on 13 runs to give the visitors a convincing win.

Pakistan, chasing 202 to win the first of the two Tests, were 109 for none in 33 overs with Abid Ali, fresh from a century in the first innings, and Abdullah Shafique scoring solid half-centuries. This was only the second time in Pakistan’s Test history, which stretch 440 matches, that an opening pair recorded two century stands in a match.

Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umer did it first time against South Africa in Lahore in 2003, when Pakistan came out victorious by eight wickets. Abid and Abdullah were unbeaten at 56 and 53 and will resume Pakistan’s pursuit of the remaining 93 runs on Tuesday.

Earlier, a sizzling Shaheen Shah Afridi recorded his fourth Test five-wicket haul, which restricted Bangladesh to 157. The left-arm pacer returned five for 32, sending Liton Das (59) and Abu Jayed back in the hut after he had taken three wickets for six runs last day.

Liton scored a fighting 59 off 89 to keep Bangladesh’s innings alive, after debutant Yasir Ali had to walk off the field after a scorching bouncer by Shaheen hit the flesh of his helmet.

Bangladesh took Nurul Hasan Sohan as Yasir’s concussion replacement. Off-spinner Sajid Khan was also amongst the wicket takers as he accounted for Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nurul Hasan and Taijul Islam.