BAN vs PAK

Babar Azam (Pakistan captain): Definitely (I am enjoying my bowling). I used to bowl in the nets and I thought I should bowl and thankfully, I got a wicket. My debut wicket! The way our batting team played as well as the middle order, they deserved the credit. Yes, rain halted play a lot. But, our plan was to play positive cricket. Due to bad light, our spinners got a chance to bowl and credit to Sajid for that. Credit to the groundsmen as well. They prepared the ground nicely considering it was raining heavily on a couple of days. These points were crucial. Our goal was to win the match and we entered the ground with that mentality, the boys responded to that well. No one individually can take the credit, it was a team effort.

Abid Ali (Player of the Series): Bismillah Rahman Rahim! I would like to thank Allah! This is not a batting track. The ball was spinning in the first game and it spun in this game as well. We wanted to play positive cricket and play with positive body language. Our captain Babar Azam motivated us as well. Yes, I got a lot of confidence after that domestic season. My morale has certainly boosted. 

Sajid Khan (Player of the Match): Bismillah Rahman Rahim! The captain and vice-captain trusted me and Allah aided me as well. The plan was to go for the win. As long as we bowl good, we will win and Allah helped us. Credit should also go to the fielders as well as they all helped us. 

Mominul Haque (Bangladesh Captain): Definitely, we had the chance to come back in the second innings. Shakib and Mushi really played well and we just could not close at the last stage. In the three formats if we lose the first three wickets early things get difficult. Das did well with the bat and I hope that he continues do so.

Pakistan wins the match by an innings and 8 runs on Day 5

With rain washing away nearly three days of play, many wondered if we would get a result out of the second Test match between Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, Pakistan ensured they walked out of the game with 12 more points in the 2021-2023 WTC cycle as they completed a 2-0 series clean sweep against their Asian counterpart. 

Pakistan put up a mighty total of 300 on board before declaring with four of the middle order batsmen scoring their half-centuries. A Sajid Khan masterclass crumbled Bangladesh like a pack of cards as they got bundled out for 87 and were asked to follow on. 

Coming to bat again, their top order had a similar collapse. '2667' might be a Taxi number ferrying passengers across the streets of Dhaka but it also happened to be the runs put on board by Bangladesh's top order batsmen in the second innings.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das knocked some sense in the Bangladesh batting line-up by playing together for 25 overs. Once the latter got out, Shakib Al Hasan gave a lending hand to the former. However, Mushfiqur threw away his wicket cheaply by trying to take a quick single and getting run out. 

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan troubled the Pakistani bowlers with their pace of batting. The latter also etched his name in the history books by becoming the fastest all-rounder to score 4000 runs and take 200 wickets in Test cricket in just 59 matches.

The game looked set to go for a draw with Bangladesh's hopes brightening as the lights dimmed. However, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam took inspiration from former Australia captain Steve Waugh's famous quote, "The key to handling pressure is to enjoy it when you're confronted with it rather than worry about it too much." And boy, did he enjoy it!

He introduced himself into the attack to trap Mehidy Hasan's legs and pick up his first ever Test wicket. Shakib Al Hasan followed back into the hut in the next over as the writing came soon on the walls. Time was running out for Pakistan but the Bangladeshi tailenders succumbed to the pressure eventually to lose the game with just a little under 6 overs remaining. 

Day 5 | Bangladesh 205/10 (84.4 overs). Pakistan win the match by an innings and 8 runs

Session Summary: Runs: 58 | Overs: 32.3 | Wickets: 4 | Run rate: 1.78

Three reds as Pakistan completes a clean sweep against Bangladesh! Pakistan wins the match by an innings and 8 runs. 

84.4 Sajid Khan to Taijul Islam, HUGE APPEAL FOR LEG BEFORE AND GIVEN!! Islam reviews!! Tossed on the full and drifting in on the stumps. Islam gets deep and tries to turn that away but gets beaten for pace. The ball thuds into his pads!!

DRS shows that the impact was in line and the ball would have gone on to hit the leg stump!!

Taijul Islam lbw Sajid Khan 5 (31b, 1x4, 0x6)

Ebadot sees off the last ball of the over and doesn't take a run as he doesn't wants to face the next over. Bangladesh trail by 8 runs. A minimum of 6 overs left in the game light permiting. 

83.6 Babar Azam to Ebadot Hossain, OHH!! Tossed on the full and outside off, Hossain tries to defend but gets an edge that one rolls away wide of the slip fielder!

83.5 Babar Azam to Taijul Islam,  tossed on the length and angling in, Islam tries to swot that away but gets the inside which deflects of his thigh pads past leg slip and he steals one

83.4 Babar Azam to Taijul Islam, Appeal for caught behind, not given! Tossed up outside off, Islam tries to cut that away but gets beaten outside off