Nahid seals Bangladesh win as Pakistan collapse in Dhaka

Bangladesh completed a commanding 104-run victory over Pakistan in the first Test in Dhaka after Nahid Rana ripped through the visitors during a dramatic final session on day five.

The fast bowler finished with outstanding figures of 5 for 40 from 9.5 overs as Bangladesh dismissed Pakistan for 163 in pursuit of 268. The result marked Bangladesh’s third straight Test victory over Pakistan following their 2-0 series win in 2024.

Pakistan briefly resisted through debutant Abdullah Fazal, but Nahid’s hostile spell turned the contest decisively in Bangladesh’s favour after tea.

Nahid destroys Pakistan’s middle order

Pakistan resumed the chase with work still to do after Bangladesh declared on 240 for 9 in their second innings. Abdullah Fazal again stood firm after Imam-ul-Haq fell before lunch, continuing the composure he had shown during his first-innings fifty.

Fazal counterattacked confidently after the interval, striking Mehidy Hasan Miraz for consecutive boundaries before taking on Nahid Rana with three successive fours. Two of those edges flew safely through the slips before he drove cleanly down the ground.

Bangladesh responded immediately when Mehidy dismissed Azan Awais for 15. The left-hander, who had scored a century in the first innings, was beaten by a delivery that held its line before crashing into the stumps.

Pakistan’s position worsened soon after when Nahid removed Shan Masood. At 68 for 3, the pressure shifted firmly onto the visitors.

Fazal still battled impressively and reached his half-century with an upper-cut boundary off Ebadot Hossain. The debutant became only the sixth Pakistan batter to score fifties in both innings of a debut Test.

Bangladesh tighten control after tea

The decisive phase arrived immediately after tea. Taijul Islam produced sharp turn to dismiss Fazal for 66 from 113 balls, with the TV umpire confirming the catch after a review. His innings included eleven fours and had briefly kept Pakistan alive.

Taskin Ahmed then struck another major blow when Salman Ali Agha edged to second slip. Shadman Islam completed the catch despite the ball striking his chest before he walked off the field hurt.

Nahid Rana took over from there. His pace and aggression overwhelmed Pakistan’s lower order as he removed Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi to finish the match.

Taskin and Taijul claimed two wickets each while Mehidy added one after his first-innings five-wicket haul.

Bangladesh’s aggressive declaration sets up result

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh batted positively to force a result despite losing wickets regularly during the morning session.

They added 88 runs in 20 overs before declaring at 240 for 9. Hasan Ali removed Mushfiqur Rahim for 22 early in the session, while Shaheen Afridi dismissed Litton Das after Hasan completed an excellent catch at the fine-leg boundary.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributed quick runs with two fours and a six before Noman Ali dismissed him for 24, a wicket that also brought up Noman’s 100th Test wicket.

Najmul Hossain Shanto once again anchored the innings and top-scored with 87. His dismissal came while attempting a reverse sweep against Noman. The Bangladesh captain narrowly missed joining Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting and David Warner as the only batters to record twin hundreds in a Test on three separate occasions.

Bangladesh’s aggressive approach on the final morning proved crucial. Their bowlers capitalised fully afterward, with Nahid Rana’s burst sealing one of Bangladesh’s most significant recent Test victories and extending Pakistan’s struggles against them.

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