Pakistan’s Cricket Stumbles Continue as Bangladesh Makes Historic Test Victory

Pakistan’s recent cricket defeat marks their third unexpected loss this year, following earlier setbacks in T20 matches against Ireland and the USA. This defeat has raised concerns about Pakistan’s standing in Test cricket, especially since they have now lost four out of six matches in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Heading into the match, Pakistan had a strong record against Bangladesh, winning 12 out of 13 previous encounters. They were motivated by the goal of reaching next year’s WTC final and opted for an all-pace bowling attack, expecting to dominate. However, they struggled on the fifth day against Bangladesh’s spin bowlers.

Pakistan’s Innings Detail

Pakistan needed just 94 runs with nine wickets in hand to overcome the deficit after Bangladesh responded to Pakistan’s first innings score of 448-6 with a total of 565 runs. Despite this, Pakistan collapsed, scoring only 146 runs in their second innings, allowing Bangladesh to easily chase the 30-run target.

Bangladesh’s spinners, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (4-21) and Shakib Al Hasan (3-44) played crucial roles in dismantling Pakistan’s batting lineup. The victory was particularly significant for Bangladesh, given the political turmoil in their country. Bangladesh’s captain, Najmul Hossain, dedicated the win to those affected by recent events back home.

Bangladesh’s Innings Detail

The match took a decisive turn during Bangladesh’s first innings when Mushfiqur Rahim scored 191 runs, building on an earlier 93 by opener Shadman Islam. Pakistan’s decision to exclude a spinner from their lineup proved costly, as they struggled to contain Bangladesh’s batsmen and later failed to handle their spin attack.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood acknowledged that Bangladesh was the better team throughout the match. He explained that the decision not to play a spinner was based on the expectation of overcast weather and a grassy pitch, which did not materialize as anticipated.

In Pakistan’s first innings, Mohammad Rizwan (171) and Saud Shakeel (141) led the scoring, with Pakistan declaring at 448-6. Despite this strong start, the team was unable to secure a victory, making it their second-highest first-innings total in a losing cause.

For Bangladesh, the win was historic. Najmul Hossain, who celebrated his 26th birthday on the day of the victory, described it as a special moment for the team. He praised his bowlers and the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim for their exceptional performances, which were key to Bangladesh’s success.

Rashid Latif, a Pakistani cricket coach and former cricketer 

Rashid Latif has expressed his views on a program with Dr Nouman that we have to see why our bowler’s speed decreases after a spell and the medical staff and physiotherapist should be answerable. Further, he expressed that now, We have become low ranked team and our ranking is below the fifth position. Besides, he said that we also lost in the T20 cricket world Cup to small teams e.g. America, and Ireland.