The Rawalpindi roadmap to failure: Pakistan declares, then loses by 10 wickets

Whatever pretensions Pakistan had of having overcome their tendency to crack under pressure to make it to the World Test Championship final lay shattered after their demoralising defeat in the first Test at home by Bangladesh on Sunday.

In a momentous turn of events, Bangladesh managed to brush aside the ongoing political chaos back home to secure a historic 10-wicket victory over Pakistan on the final day of the first Test in Rawalpindi. The spectacle was nothing short of dramatic, featuring Pakistan's spectacular collapse to 146 all out, setting the stage for Bangladesh's unprecedented triumph.

The heroic figures of this epic were none other than spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan. The latter, who somehow manages to juggle his role as a cricketer with a past in the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, joined forces with Mehidy to claim seven crucial wickets. Their spin prowess played a pivotal role in dismantling Pakistan's batting lineup, while the pace bowlers did their part by decimating the top order. This win marked Bangladesh's first-ever Test victory over Pakistan, after enduring a staggering 14 matches against them.

As if to underscore the sheer magnitude of the moment, openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam chased down the meagre target of 30 runs with effortless ease. They reached 30-0 by tea, with Zakir hitting the winning boundary and finishing on 15, while Shadman remained unbeaten on 9. This victory was not just historic but also a rare away win for Bangladesh - only their seventh in Test history and their first since their triumph over New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in January 2022.

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Pakistan, having squandered a 117-run lead despite their bold declaration at 448-6, found themselves at the mercy of a disciplined and relentless Bangladeshi attack. The hosts resumed their innings at 23-1, still 94 runs behind, only to be bowled out in a display of hapless batting that was as dramatic as it was inevitable.

Bangladesh's captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, could barely contain his elation. "It's an amazing feeling and truly a special moment for us," he proclaimed. "Over the last month, we faced a difficult political situation, but this win brings a bit of joy." His sentiments were as heartwarming as they were timely, given that this victory fell on his 26th birthday.

Mohammad Rizwan, the sole bright spot for Pakistan, followed up his career-best unbeaten 171 with a top score of 51 in the second innings. However, his valiant effort was overshadowed by the reckless batting of his teammates and some astute field placements by Shanto. Rizwan's innings, despite being the best performance by a Pakistani batsman, was insufficient to prevent the collapse that followed.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz's figures of 4-21 and Shakib Al Hasan's 3-44 were instrumental in the collapse, with Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, and Nahid Rana each adding a wicket to their tally. Shanto lauded his team's performance, acknowledging the harsh conditions. "It's nice how everyone showed character in such hot conditions," Shanto remarked, while also commending his batters for their formidable first-inning score of 565. "We knew that if we bowled in the right areas, we could win the game... and today both Shakib and Miraz used the conditions very well."

The first session of the final day was nothing short of dramatic. Pakistan, having limped to 108-6, lost five wickets as Bangladesh tightened the noose. Captain Shan Masood's departure for a modest 14, dismissed by Hasan Mahmud in the second over, set the tone for the collapse. Masood, who had previously engaged in a rather theatrical argument with umpire Richard Kettleborough, found his frustrations compounded when TV replays confirmed he had indeed edged the ball.

Babar Azam, who should have been dismissed for a pair of ducks in the match, was given a reprieve when Litton Das dropped a straightforward catch off Shoriful. Babar, who managed to hit three boundaries, was eventually dismissed by Nahid Rana for 22.

The middle-order batsmen's cavalier approach against the spinners was nothing short of suicidal. Saud Shakeel, who had been a century-maker in the first innings, tried an extravagant shot against Shakib and got stumped for a duck - a new low in his brief Test career. Abdullah Shafique also fell victim to Shakib's guile, top-edging a catch to point, while Mehidy sent Salman Ali Agha packing with an outside edge.

The pressure mounted as Mehidy took three crucial wickets after lunch. Rizwan's under-edged sweep off Mehidy ricocheted onto his stumps, and Mohammad Ali was trapped leg before wicket. Pakistan's woes extended their barren run in red-ball cricket at home, now stretching to five losses and four draws since their last Test win against South Africa in Rawalpindi in 2021.

Masood, struggling with his fourth consecutive Test defeat since assuming the captaincy, lamented, "We have to look at the mistakes we've made collectively and work on them. I apologize to the whole nation and hope we will perform better in the next game."

The second Test of the series, which will also be held in Rawalpindi starting next Friday, has been relocated from Karachi due to ongoing construction at the National Bank Stadium. This upcoming match will be another opportunity for Pakistan to rectify their mistakes and for Bangladesh to further their newfound momentum.

As Bangladesh savour this unprecedented victory, Pakistan's cricketing fortunes remain in need of significant recalibration. Who will have the last laugh?