Cricket-Five-star Rana bowls Bangladesh to thrilling win v Pakistan in Mirpur test


DHAKA, May 12 (Reuters) - Seamer Nahid ⁠Rana claimed 5-40 on an eventful final day to bowl Bangladesh ⁠to a 104-run victory in the opening test against Pakistan in Mirpur ‌on Tuesday.

The hosts set Pakistan a victory target of 268 and then bundled them out for 163, prising out seven wickets in the final session to go 1-0 up in the two-test ​series.

Bangladesh had posted 413 in their first innings ⁠and Pakistan responded with 386 ⁠to stay in the hunt.

With significant time lost to rain on third and fourth ⁠days ‌of the contest, Bangladesh declared their second innings on 240-9.Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto followed his first-innings hundred with 87 and Mominul Haque (56) scored ⁠his second half-century of the match.

The onus was on ​their bowlers to script ‌a memorable win and Rana led their attack with an inspired display ⁠of fast ​bowling to fashion Bangladesh's first victory against Pakistan on home soil.

Abdullah Fazal made a gutsy 66 but Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals and could not bat out ⁠the final day.

Rana dismissed Shaheen Afridi, caught at ​forward short leg, to seal the win. Fellow seamer Taskin Ahmed and spinner Taijul Islam claimed two wickets apiece.

"Very happy. Proud of all the guys the way we ⁠played," Bangladesh captain Shanto said after collecting his player of the match award.

"We declared because we have a quality bowling attack and in these conditions Rana, Taskin, Taijul bowled really well and that's what I want from them."

Pakistan captain ​Shan Masood said they failed to exploit the seam-friendly ⁠conditions at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

"We couldn't make the most of it with ​both bat and ball. I thought we could ‌have pushed ahead and scored more runs (in ​the first innings)," he said.

The final test is scheduled in Sylhet from Saturday.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Christian Radnedge)

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