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In a thrilling turn of events at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh's pacemen Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana delivered career-best performances to set their team on the path to victory against Pakistan. Hasan's impressive 5-43 and Nahid's 4-44 dismantled Pakistan's batting lineup, dismissing them for 172 in their second innings. This left Bangladesh needing just 185 runs to secure a 2-0 series win.
Openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam started strong, racing to 42 without loss, with Zakir hitting two sixes and two boundaries. However, rain and bad light halted play shortly after the tea break, leaving Bangladesh 143 runs short of their target with one day remaining.
Bangladesh, leading the series 1-0 after a historic win in Rawalpindi last month, are on the brink of their third away series victory. Their previous wins came against the West Indies in 2009 and Zimbabwe in 2021.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan struggled at 117-6 by lunch, with Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha attempting to salvage the innings. Hasan's crucial breakthroughs, including Rizwan for 43 and Mohammad Ali for a golden duck, left Pakistan reeling at 136-8. Salman top-scored with 47, adding a vital 27 runs for the last wicket with Mir Hamza before Hasan claimed his fifth wicket.
Nahid Rana's morning spell was equally devastating, removing key players Shan Masood, Babar Azam, and Saud Shakeel in quick succession. His fiery bowling left Pakistan in tatters, setting the stage for Bangladesh's potential series-clinching victory.
Despite the rain-affected Test, which saw the first day's play washed out, Bangladesh's remarkable fightback on Sunday, led by Liton Das's 138 and Mehidy Hasan Miraz's 78, kept them in contention. As the final day approaches, all eyes will be on Bangladesh to see if they can overcome the weather and secure a memorable series win.
