CHITTAGONG: When Pakistan fans woke up on Tuesday, they could not believe what they saw – the final scoreline reading ‘Pakistan win by eight wickets’. So clinical were Pakistan in the chase that it took their fans a little while to register the fact that they had overpowered Bangladesh with ease.
The Test match had swung like a pendulum for the first four days and had it not been for a superb opening partnership between the centurion in the first innings Abid Ali and the impressive debutant Abdullah Shafique, it would have promised more nail-biting moments. Ali and Shafique ensured that they never gave Bangladesh an easy opening in the game and bettered their opening stand of the first innings by posting 150 in the second innings.
Shafique, however, got dismissed in a marginal LBW call but by the time when he walked off, he had ensured that Pakistan were only 51 away from victory. Ali continued to play his shots but got out eventually with 91 against his name on the board. By the time Babar and Azhar came out to bat, Pakistan only needed 31 runs to go 1-0 up in the series.
With a thumping win over Bangladesh in an away game, Pakistan have sent out a message that they are one of the top contenders gunning for the coveted World Test Championship mace. Ali was declared the Player of the Match for his 131 and 91. The second Test is scheduled to be played in Dhaka from December 4.