BAN vs PAK 2nd Test: Taijul Islam Puts Bangladesh On Brink Of Test Series Win Over Pakistan

Bangladesh marched to within touching distance of a landmark home Test series triumph, tightening their grip on Pakistan as Taijul Islam’s incisive spell left the visitors clinging to hopes of a final-day escape in Sylhet.

Pakistan closed day four on 316-7, still 121 runs short of an imposing 437-run target that would represent a record chase on the fifth and final day.

Mohammad Rizwan was unbeaten on 75, with Sajid Khan not out on eight when stumps were drawn.

Left-arm spinner Taijul was the standout performer, returning figures of 4-113 and dismissing key men Babar Azam for 47 and Salman Agha for 71, ensuring Bangladesh remained firmly on course for their first-ever home Test series victory over Pakistan.

Having already taken the opening match

of the two-Test series, Bangladesh also moved closer to securing consecutive Test series wins against Pakistan, following their 2-0 whitewash on Pakistani soil in 2024.

Pakistan had earlier crashed to 162-5, appearing destined for a straightforward defeat, before Rizwan and Agha mounted a spirited resistance with a 134-run stand that briefly revived hopes of overhauling the target and pulling off Test cricket’s highest successful chase.

The current benchmark is the West Indies’ 418 against Australia in Antigua in 2003, and Pakistan have never chased more than 377 to win a Test.

Resuming with their overnight openers at the crease, Pakistan lost both early in the day, only for captain Shan Masood and Azam to counter-attack and rebuild. Their partnership steadied the innings and carried Pakistan to 101-2 by the lunch interval.

The balance swung back towards Bangladesh in the afternoon. Azam departed when wicket-keeper Litton Das pulled off a superb catch behind the stumps off Taijul, a dismissal that broke Pakistan’s momentum.

Nahid Rana followed up by bowling Saud Shakeel with a wide yorker for just six, before Taijul removed Masood for a well-crafted 71, Mahmudul Hasan Joy snapping up a sharp chance at short leg.

Pakistan slipped to 200-5 by tea, but the gritty sixth-wicket alliance between Rizwan and Agha then blunted the hosts’ attack and tested Bangladesh’s resolve.

Taijul eventually ended Agha’s resistance, outfoxing him with a cleverly disguised arm ball that crashed into the stumps, and Hasan Ali departed without scoring just two overs later, edging to captain Najmul Hossain Shanto at first slip.

Rizwan and Sajid then saw out the remaining overs to ensure Pakistan still had a faint chance heading into the final day.

However, Bangladesh pace bowling coach Shaun Tait expressed belief that his side would finish the job on day five.

“I think we’ll bowl them out. I hope,” he said.

“Our guys stayed in the fight, stayed in the contest. They got on top of us for a period of time but to take those two wickets towards the end — we went into the changing rooms fairly happy.”

Pakistan batting coach Asad Shafiq remained upbeat about his team’s prospects, saying: “I have a lot of hope because of the way we responded as a batting unit today. If this partnership between Rizwan and Sajid goes long, I am very optimistic.”

(With Agency Inputs)