Cricket-Bangladesh sweep series v Pakistan despite Rizwan defiance


FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Third Test - England v Pakistan - Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan - October 25, 2024 Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan in action REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/ File Photo

DHAKA, May 20 (Reuters) - Bangladesh completed ⁠a 2-0 series sweep against Pakistan with a 78-run victory in the ⁠second test in Sylhet despite Mohammad Rizwan's defiant 94 in a failed ‌chase on Wednesday.

Chasing 437 for a series-levelling victory, Pakistan were bowled out for 358 in the morning session on the final day at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Captain Shan Masood and Salman Agha ​made 71 each, but it was Rizwan's gutsy knock, ⁠featuring 10 fours, that kept ⁠Pakistan alive until he fell to Shoriful Islam.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed 6-120 and ⁠sealed ‌Bangladesh's first series whitewash against Pakistan when Khurram Shahzad was caught at wide long-on.

Bangladesh had taken control after player of the match Litton Das made ⁠126 in their first-innings total of 278, before the ​hosts bowled Pakistan out ‌for 232 to secure a useful lead.

Veteran Mushfiqur Rahim then anchored Bangladesh's ⁠second innings with ​137, lifting them to 390 and leaving Pakistan with a daunting chase.

The tourists, however, did not go down without a fight, entering the final day needing 121 runs with three ⁠wickets in hand. Shoriful effectively ended their resistance ​when he had Rizwan caught at gully.

"Our fast bowlers did a great job in hot conditions, on a flat wicket," Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.

"That is something we ⁠always wanted to improve. In batting, sometimes we lost too many wickets, but nowadays we have brilliant partnerships. Our tailenders also contribute a lot."

His counterpart Shan said Pakistan made "a lot of mistakes".

"When you make 360 runs in the fourth innings of a ​game, you kind of expect to be on the ⁠right side of it."

"In test cricket, you're going to be punished for any mistake ​you make. It's unforgiving...

"You're not going to get any ‌easy games and you really have to ​grind results out. I think that's what we need to do as a side."

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Jamie Freed)

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