Bangladesh moved within touching distance of a memorable 2 0 Test series triumph over Pakistan after another gripping day in Sylhet. The hosts need only three more wickets on the final morning, while Pakistan still require an unlikely 121 runs to escape defeat. Mohammad Rizwan stood firm with an unbeaten 75, providing Pakistan with a fighting chance after a dramatic fourth day.
For much of the afternoon, Bangladesh appeared ready to wrap up the contest quickly. Pakistan had already lost key wickets, and pressure continued to build from both the spin and pace departments. However, Rizwan and Salman Agha produced a determined partnership worth 134 runs, frustrating the home side for more than three hours.
The pair mixed patience with smart attacking cricket. Rather than simply defending, they rotated the strike well and punished loose deliveries whenever opportunities appeared. Their stand slowly shifted momentum and briefly raised hopes inside the Pakistan camp.
As tension increased late in the day, emotions spilled over on the field. Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das showed frustration after Rizwan delayed play because of movement near the sightscreen. Despite the heated atmosphere, Rizwan and Agha maintained their composure and continued battling through a relentless bowling effort.
Just when Pakistan looked capable of reaching stumps without further damage, Taijul Islam stepped up once again. Bowling alongside the fiery Nahid Rana with the second new ball in play, Taijul delivered a quicker ball that slipped through Salman Agha’s defence and crashed into the stumps. The breakthrough sparked huge celebrations among the Bangladesh players and supporters.
Pakistan’s problems had begun much earlier in the innings. Nahid Rana removed Abdullah Fazal with a sharp short ball, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz trapped Azan Awais lbw soon after. Shan Masood and Babar Azam then countered positively with an impressive partnership, collecting boundaries freely and keeping the scoreboard moving.
Masood reached his first fifty of the series, while Babar looked fluent before falling against the run of play. Taijul tempted him into a loose flick down the leg side, and Litton completed an excellent catch behind the stumps. Soon after, Saud Shakeel and Masood departed within a short span, pushing Pakistan dangerously close to collapse.
Although Rizwan’s fighting knock has delayed Bangladesh’s celebrations, the hosts remain overwhelming favourites heading into the final day after dominating most of the series.
