Published: 09:08 AM, 20 May 2026
Bangladesh inches closer to win second Test against Pakistan
Bangladesh's NahidRana celebrates with captainNajmulHossainShanto against Pakistan at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. -AFP
Bangladesh produced an amazing bounced back in the final session against Pakistan in the second and final Test after taking crucial wickets, putting the visitors under pressure as the hostsjsut needed just three wickets to win at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam stepped up with a brilliant double-strike to break a menacing partnership, pulling Bangladesh back into the driver's seat on the fourth morning of the second Test in Sylhet.
At the end of day four, Pakistan still needed 121 with only three wickets in hand.
No team in Test cricket's 149-year history has successfully chased more than 418 runs in the fourth innings.
The West Indies currently hold the record for the highest successful run chase in Tests at 418 against Australia in 2003, while Pakistan's best came in 2015 when they scored 382/3 when chasing a victory target of 377 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Bangladesh won the first Test by 104 runs and a victory in this Test would give them second successive series-sweep against Pakistan, having done so on Pakistan soil in two-match series in 2024.
The visitors, tasked with chasing a monumental, history-defying target of 437, recovered from early setbacks through a defiant stand before Taijul swung the momentum back to the hosts. The foundation of Bangladesh's total dominance was established on Day 3 by veteran maestro Mushfiqur Rahim. Mushfiqur played a majestic, record-breaking knock of 137 off 233 deliveries to anchor Bangladesh's second innings to 390.
His 14th career Test ton pushed him past MominulHaque to become the country's most prolific Test centurion, setting up a target well beyond any successful chase in the history of the format.
Despite losing quick wickets early on the fourth morning, Pakistan launched a spirited counter-attack. Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha forged a resilient, multi-over partnership that began to cause anxiety in the Bangladesh camp.
Salman looked exceptionally fluent, striking six boundaries and a six to reach 71 off just 102 balls, shifting the pressure back onto the home side's bowlers. With the game starting to drift, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto made a tactical gamble, handing the spinner the relatively new ball. The move paid immediate dividends in the 82nd over.
Taijul, having beat Salman with a sharp turn on the previous delivery, pushed a quicker arm-ball on a full length. Salman prodded forward to defend, but the ball skidded straight through the gap between bat and pad to shatter the stumps, ending the 134-run stand.
Taijul struck again just one over later to completely expose Pakistan's tail. He drew Hasan Ali (0) forward with a beautifully dipping delivery outside off-stump. Caught in two minds, Hasan pushed forward uncertainly, offering a thick shoulder-edge that Shanto safely gathered at first slip.
The rapid double-blow reduced Pakistan to 312-7, leaving Rizwan fighting a lone battle alongside the lower order. At the end of day four, they were standing at 316 for 7.
Earlier, Bangladesh moved closer to a series-clinching victory in the second Test against Pakistan after setting the visitors an improbable target, thanks to a record-breaking century of Mushfiqur Rahim on Day 3.
Seasoned campaigner Mushfiqur struck 137 off 233 with a dozen of boundaries and one six as Bangladesh were bowled out for 390 in their second innings leaving the visitors a daunting 437-run target for victory.
