The perfect trigger: How Salman Agha fuelled Bangladesh’s historic Test win vs Pakistan
Sometimes, all you need is a little trigger to spark inspiration, and that’s exactly what Bangladesh got. On Monday, Salman Agha threw Bangladesh an open challenge: give Pakistan 260 in 70 overs if you are brave enough, and we will go for the win. Not only did he say it, he also implied that Bangladesh would not do it, indirectly suggesting that the hosts would not be brave enough.
BAN vs PAK, 1st Test Day 5: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
“Definitely, we will go for the win. If they are brave enough to do that, give us 70 overs and 260, we will definitely go for the chase. But I don’t think they will do that,” Salman said in the press conference.
The match psychologically turned right there. With the threat of rain looming and Bangladesh leading by only 179 runs, the match appeared to be heading towards a draw. But on Day 5, Bangladesh came out breathing fire, scoring 88 runs in 20 overs before setting Pakistan a target of 268, literally accepting Salman’s challenge.
Bangladesh only stopped after sealing a 104-run victory and taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. It was also the first time Bangladesh had beaten Pakistan in a home Test, while marking their third successive Test win over Pakistan following their 2-0 series sweep away from home in 2024.
HOW BANGLADESH TOOK DOWN PAKISTAN
After being asked to bat, Bangladesh laid the foundation in the first innings by posting 413, with their batters showing far greater patience and application on a demanding surface. They then bowled Pakistan out for 386 to secure a valuable 27-run lead, with Mehidy Hasan’s five-wicket haul proving decisive.
Despite rain washing out large portions of Days 3 and 4, Bangladesh maintained an attacking mindset. Resuming Day 5 with a lead of 179, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto led from the front with a fluent 87 as Bangladesh accelerated their scoring and declared at 240 for 9, setting Pakistan a challenging target of 268 on a deteriorating pitch.
Pakistan’s chase never truly gained momentum. Early strikes from Taskin Ahmed put the visitors under pressure before young fast bowler Nahid Rana produced the defining spell of the match. After Pakistan briefly recovered through Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, Nahid dismissed both key batters and ripped through the lower order with raw pace and discipline.
Abdullah Fazal fought hard with 66, but Pakistan’s batting once again crumbled under pressure as Bangladesh completed a famous victory and secured crucial World Test Championship points.
– Ends
