Pakistan captain Babar Azam and experienced batsman Azhar Ali led the Men in Green to their first victory over Bangladesh in the two-match Test series, as the visitors defeated the hosts by an eight-wicket margin on Tuesday.
Pakistan were on course to win the match handily after openers Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique both struck half-centuries to lay the groundwork.
Taijul Islam, Bangladesh’s spin wizard, snagged Abid Ali lbw on 91 runs, while Mehidy Hasan trapped Abdullah Shafique lbw on 73.
However, a solid combination between Azhar Ali (24), and skipper Babar Azam (13), sealed Pakistan’s victory.
Pakistan ended at 109-0 at stumps on Day 4, requiring just 93 runs on the last day.
At the close of play, Ali was 56 not out, adding to his first-innings tally of 133, while rookie Shafique concluded unbeaten on 53.
“A fourth day is really important in Test cricket,” Shafique stated.
“Today’s strategy was to limit them to the lowest possible total so that we could simply hunt them down. This is what we attempted, and it was a success.”
Earlier, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi took 5-32 to help Pakistan bowl out Bangladesh for 157 runs in their second innings, despite wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das getting a fighting fifty.
Bangladesh appeared doomed after losing Mushfiqur Rahim in the opening over of the day, but Liton, who hit a century in the previous innings, brought the hosts back into contention with 59 off 89 balls.
Afridi caught Liton leg-before and then bowled Abu Jayed for a duck to clinch his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests.
Sajid Khan, who finished with 3-33, completed the victory by dismissing Taijul Islam.
Mushfiqur scored a boundary off the opening ball of the morning, delivered by Hasan Ali, giving the hosts a good start.
After Hasan uprooted his off-stump, he left a delivery that darted back in and disappeared for 16.