Najmul Hossain Shanto could not find enough words to describe the team’s feeling after Bangladesh completed an away Test series sweep against Pakistan on Tuesday. “It means a lot... We can’t express with words,” was all that he could say.
It is not too difficult to fathom why he, and the rest of the team, were so overwhelmed.
The last time Bangladesh won an away Test series of two or more matches was way back in 2009 — a 2-0 win in the Caribbean against the West Indies.
The margin of the result is same this time, they have outplayed Pakistan 2-0, but the significance of this victory is much, much more profound.
Not that Pakistan have had a great record of late — they have not won a Test at home for 10 consecutive matches — but still few would have bet on Bangladesh sweeping them away with such swag.
Shanto’s men won the first Test by 10 wickets and to prove that it was not a fluke, they clinched the second as well, defeating Pakistan by six wickets on Tuesday.
For the record, Bangladesh had lost 12 of their last 13 Tests against Pakistan before this series.
Needing 143 more runs on the final day with 10 wickets in hand, Bangladesh knocked them off without much trouble. Their batters showed plenty of resilience. Opener Zakir Hasan (40), captain Shanto (38) and Mominul Haque (34) contributed meaningful runs. Shakib Al Hasan (21 not out) and Mushfiqur Rahim (22 not out) completed the job.
It is a remarkable result considering the fact that Bangladesh were 26/6 at one stage in their first innings. They crawled out of the pit with fighting knocks from Litton Das (138) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78). Then the Bangladeshi pacers — Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana and Taskin Ahmed — rattled the home side, bundling them out for 172.
Before this series, Bangladesh’s cricket history was mostly a tale of missed opportunities and failed promises. But this time, they chose to change the script.
“I think before we came here, we were looking to win, and the way everyone did their job, I’m really happy. I think everyone chipped in in this series, it’s totally a team game,” skipper Shanto said.
While for Bangladesh the win will surely gift joy to their entire nation after recently going through a tumultuous political period back home, Pakistan were left to lick their wounds.
“Extremely disappointed, especially when you start the home season (like that),” captain Shan Masood said. “We haven’t learnt our lessons.”
India will take note of Bangladesh’s impressive showing. Shanto’s team will be soon travelling to India for a Test and T20I series beginning later this month.
