Rawalpindi: Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said the historic Test victory over Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was dedicated to those who died in the country’s student-led protests that led to the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s government.
“The win is dedicated to those who lost their lives during the anti-discrimination protest from among the students and public. Lots of prayers from the team for them. Their families have gone through a very tough time, and hope that through this victory, a little smile will be brought to their faces,” said Shanto to reporters after the match ended in a ten-wicket win for Bangladesh.
The team’s determination and preparation for the match were evident. The student-led demonstrations prompted Bangladesh (team) to travel to Pakistan sooner than planned. Their practice was impeded in Dhaka owing to national unrest, and they had lengthy sessions before the series began. Furthermore, six capped players competed in the initial four-day matches against the Pakistan Shaheens.
“Really special moment for us, and we were really happy because of the way everyone showed their character in these hot conditions. The way we practised over the last 15 days and did all the right things off the field is why we got the results. The players, who were on a break before the Tests, were doing their preparations back at home. That helped us in these conditions,” added Shanto.
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On a docile Rawalpindi pitch, Bangladesh gained a 117-run first-innings lead after making 565, compared to Pakistan’s declaration on 448/6. On day five, spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz (4-21) and Shakib Al Hasan (3-44) starred to bowl out Pakistan for just 146, followed by Bangladesh making the needed 30 runs in 6.3 overs to spark jubilant scenes in the team dugout.v
“It’s very important since we don’t win many matches outside home. I think we won in New Zealand (in 2022) and after that we won here. This year, we made World Test Championship plans on how we can win matches outside or at least draw them. That has brought good results, and hopefully, the players and the fans will have more confidence through this win.”
The team’s belief in their victory was unwavering. “So hope is to play better cricket going forward. It’s an amazing feeling, and when we came here in the morning, we believed and knew that we could win this match because we were 94 runs ahead, and the pitch looked difficult, especially (batting) against spinners while there was variable bounce for seamers. We believed that if we can bowl in the right areas, we can beat them, and that’s what happened,” stated Shanto.
Shanto signed off by sharing the team’s jubilation at the win, especially on his 26th birthday. He said, “It’s a special feeling to win on my birthday, but what’s more special is the team’s win. It’s a massive historic day for us. We believed we could win this series, and then, everyone really believed that we could do something special this time.” The team’s celebration and joy at the win is palpable.
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–IANS
Photo Credit: Pakistan Cricket/X
