1st Test Pakistan v Bangladesh Day 4: Pakistan Romp Home in Style

Bangladesh’s resistance blown away yesterday by 16-year old Naseem Shah’s hat-trick, failed to stand up to the pressure exerted by Pakistan bowlers on the fourth morning.

Match Summary

Pakistan 445

Bangladesh 233 and 168

Result - Pakistan won by an innings and 44 runs

Scorecard

It took the home side 17.2 overs to claim the last four wickets to win the opening Test of the two-match series by an innings and 44 runs at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second Test between the two sides, at Karachi is scheduled in April, after the conclusion of PSL5 that kicks off on February 20.

Wrist spinner, Yasir Shah, bowled as well as he could on a drying surface and by taking three lower order wickets, ended with much needed haul of 4-58. There is little doubt that another poor return, quite possibly would have been the end of 33-year old’s international career. He lives to play on, mindful of the knowledge that his days at the highest level are numbered. Yasir’s overall Test career, outside the sub-continent and UAE, is below par that could prompt selectors, to open the competition with new names.

?? Winning moments! #PAKvBAN pic.twitter.com/OuvIP69fU0

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 10, 2020

Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque top-scored with a dogged 41 in his team’s second innings total of 168. He helplessly witnessed Naseem’s hat-trick from the non- striker’s end on day 3 and this morning fell leg-before to Shaheen Afridi. After him, Liton Das, who has opened for Bangladesh in white-ball cricket, came in to bat at number eight and scored 29 off 59 balls before he was the ninth wicket to fall. Two disappointing totals of 233 & 168 on a wicket that had not started to misbehave till fourth morning put Bangladesh on the backfoot and reminding everyone how badly they have missed the experience of Shakib Al Hassan and Mushfiqur Rahim, in Rawalpindi.

Though he did not come on to bowl today after suffering with a niggle in his leg, Naseem was the correct choice for Man of the Match award. Few days short of his 17th birthday, the exciting paceman could have played in the u-19 World Cup, claimed yesterday by Bangladesh’s impressive showing in South Africa. Instead selectors very wisely kept Naseem behind with the senior national team thus allowing another youngster the opportunity to shine in the junior ranks.

Naseem’s rise to stardom has put Lower Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the map of international cricket. This kid of Pathan stock has speed and movement and above all maturity, to pair up with the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain and Mohammad Musa, to put Pakistan cricket back on track and rise above No.4, its present position in the ICC World Test Championship.

Teams

Pakistan - Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali(c), Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Rizwan(wk), Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi

Bangladesh - Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque(c), Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Liton Das(wk), Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Abu Jayed, Ebadat Hossain

 

Match Details

 

Start Time: 05:00

Toss: Pakistan won the toss and decided to field

Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Officials: Nigel Llong, Christopher Gaffaney, Marais Erasmus, Shozab Raza, Richard Richardson

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