Pakistan clinch Test series 2-0

Sports Reporter :
Pakistan had a clean sweep 2-0 in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh after the tourists defeated the hosts by an innings and eight runs in the rain-interrupted second Test on the fifth and final day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Wednesday.
Electing to bat first, Pakistan piled up an exact 300 for the loss of four wickets on the fourth day (Tuesday) and Captain of the visitors Babar Azam declared their first innings.
Bangladesh scored 87 in the first innings on the fifth day (Wednesday). The hosts were all out for 205 in the second innings on the fifth and final day.
The hosts resumed their first innings with the overnight score of 76 for the loss of seven wickets.
Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam resumed their overnight score of 23 and naught respectively.
Apart from Shakib, the other batters failed to make a good score.
Shakib Al Hasan made 33 from 54 balls featuring four fours.
Sajid Khan captured eight wickets for 42 runs.
As Bangladesh were 13 runs away from 100 runs in the first innings Bangladesh were forced to follow-on.
Bangladesh faced an early debacle in the second innings as they lost four wickets for 25 runs.
Then, Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das added together 73 runs for the fifth wicket partnership before Liton Das was caught at the square leg by Fawad Alam off Sajid Khan when the Tigers’ score was 98 for the loss of five wickets.
Liton Das notched up a marvelous 45.
After Liton’s departure, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan built another worthy partnership. They put on together 49 runs in the six-wicket stand before Mushfiqur Rahim was run out by a joint-effort of Abdullah Shafique and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan when Bangladesh’s total was 147 for the loss of six wickets.
Mushfiqur Rahim knocked a painstaking 48. After Mushfiqur Rahim’s departure, Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz built another remarkable partnership. They scored together 51 runs in the seventh wicket stand before Miraz (14) was trapped leg before wicket by Babar Azam when the hosts’ score was 198 for the loss of seven wickets.
After dismissal of Miraz, Shakib Al Hasan could not stay for a long period as he was bowled out by Sajid Khan when Bangladesh’s total was 200 for the loss of eight wickets.
Shakib Al Hasan shone with the willow making the day’s highest of 63. He hit nine fours in his 130-ball innings. It was Shakib’s 26th half century in Test cricket. He reached the 50-run landmark using 89 deliveries with eight fours.
After Shakib’s departure, Bangladesh batters failed to resist the tourists’ bowling attack.
Bangladesh batters failed to show professional attitude and hit some risky shots. Thus they paid heavily and conceded a shameful and painful defeat.
Sajid Khan captured four wickets at the cost of 86 runs, while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali bagged two wickets each for 31 and 37 runs respectively.