Bangladesh have set their sights on a historic clean sweep against Pakistan in the ongoing two-match Test series. Bangladesh are in the driver's seat in the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi after going back 42/0 at stumps on Day 4 of the Test. The visitors need only 143 more and have ten wickets in hand to secure the 2-0 series sweep.
Zakir Hasan raced to a 23-ball 31 as the Bangla Tigers added 42 runs in seven overs of their 185-run chase. Shadman Islam accompanied Hasan well with his unbeaten nine run-knock.
The day began with Pakistan batting on 9/2. Captain Shan Masood and Saim Ayub provided them with a confident start. They did not lose any wickets for the first 38 runs of the day but then lost their way with Bangladesh pacers doing the trick. Taskin Ahmed took out Ayub and then youngsters Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana came into their own.
The duo shared nine wickets between them with Mahmud taking a five-wicket haul, while Rana registered his best Test figures of 4/44. There was some fightback from the lower-middle order with Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman scoring 43 and 47, respectively but that was not enough as the hosts got bowled out for 172, setting a 185-run target.
The visitors won the toss and opted to bowl first earlier. Pakistan made 274 batting first with Ayub scoring 58, whereas skipper Masood made 57. Agha Salman made 54 in the lower order as the hosts were bowled out for less than 300.
The Bangla Tigers were in major trouble in their first innings, having lost six wickets for 26 runs. They were staring down the barrel but Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz stood tall with a 165-run stand for the seventh wicket. Das scored 138 and helped the visitors get to 262, leaving the trail of only 12 runs.
Bangladesh now sit 143 runs away from what will be their third overseas Test series victory and their first since 2021 when they defeated Zimbabwe 1-0.
