26 August,2024 03:50 PM IST | Rawalpindi | mid-day online correspondent
Pakistan`s captain Shan Masood (L) and Shaheen Shah Afridi attend a practice session (Pic: AFP)
Bangladesh on Sunday inscribed a historic milestone by achieving their inaugural Test victory over Pakistan in the PAK vs BAN 1st Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The hosts' decision to declare innings at 448 for six proved detrimental, as Bangladesh capitalised on their expertise to secure a resounding ten-wicket win on the fifth day. This landmark win came after 14 encounters with Pakistan, where the Tigers had suffered 12 defeats and managed just one draw.
India and South Africa are now the only teams that Bangladesh has yet to defeat in Test cricket.
The match had a delayed beginning caused by a wet outfield, but by the fifth day, the entire affair had transformed into an enticing action-packed thriller.
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The emphatic ten-wicket triumph provided Bangladesh with a significant boost in the ICC World Test Championship standings. They leapfrogged Pakistan and South Africa to the sixth spot, tied on point percentage with Sri Lanka (40 per cent). As a result of the loss, Pakistan slipped down to eighth place with a 30.56 point percentage.
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Soon after the match, a viral video featuring captain Shan Masood and star pacer Shaheen Afridi has sparked speculation about discord within the Pakistan cricket team.
In the video, Shan is seen standing beside Shaheen during a team huddle when Shaheen brusquely removes Shan's arms from his shoulders. This incident comes on the heels of another video circulating on social media, which showed Shan engaged in a tense exchange with head coach Jason Gillespie.
Shaheen picked up two wickets in the first innings of the PAK vs BAN 1st Test, while giving away 88 runs. After failing to make an impact with the new ball, Shaheen's two scalps came towards the tail end. He opened his account by removing Mehidy Hasan Miraz and sent Hasan Mahmud back for an 18-ball duck.
His dwindling form stretches back to the T20 World Cup earlier this year. The 24-year-old failed to deliver the goods and ended the campaign with five wickets in four matches, averaging 21.00.
(With inputs from agencies)
