SYLHET: Bangladesh won their fourth consecutive Test against Pakistan when they claimed the second Test by 78 runs on the fifth morning — but not before resorting to the kind of gamesmanship that deserves to be discouraged and condemned at all levels of cricket.

Resuming at 316 for seven in pursuit of a record 437-run target, Pakistan had moved swiftly to 358 for seven by adding 42 runs in nine overs. With Bangladesh clearly feeling the heat, Mehidy Hasan Miraz interrupted play with an apparent hamstring injury. Rather than leaving the field for treatment, Miraz opted to receive it on the ground, a process that lasted around 10 minutes and allowed Bangladesh to regroup while disrupting the concentration and momentum of Mohammad Rizwan and Sajid Khan at the crease.

Two balls after play resumed, Sajid Khan was caught in the slips by Najmul Hossain Shanto off Taijul Islam. Five balls later, Rizwan was caught in the gully by Miraz off Shoriful Islam as Pakistan slipped to 358 for nine in seven balls after resumption.

Last man Khurram Shahzad fell five balls later and Pakistan’s second innings was wrapped up at 358 — the same total at which they had been seven down before play was unnecessarily halted for around 10 minutes while a fielder opted for on-field treatment rather than consulting his physiotherapist off the ground.

A Test that deserved to be remembered for outstanding individual and team performances was unfortunately tarnished by Miraz’s interruption — an incident that can be viewed differently depending on which side of the boundary rope you were sitting.

Miraz, who had dropped Rizwan on the fifth ball of the morning, is no stranger to controversy. On Pakistan’s previous tour of Bangladesh for the ODIs, he ran out Salman Ali Agha when the batter attempted to pick up the ball at the non-striker’s end while still outside the crease.

Bangladesh cricket, for all the remarkable progress it has made in recent years, has been involved in several incidents that have triggered uncomfortable debates about the spirit of the game.

Among the most widely discussed: during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan appealed for a timed-out dismissal against Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews. During the 2018 Nidahas Trophy, Mushfiqur Rahim’s animated cobra dance celebration drew widespread criticism. And in the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2016, Bangladesh dismissed a non-striker for backing up too far — a Mankad that reignited one of cricket’s most divisive debates.

None of this diminishes what Bangladesh achieved across this series. But it does raise questions about the culture being cultivated within their dressing room.

Rizwan, who had started the day on 75, was cruelly denied a century when he fell for 94 from 166 balls with 10 fours — six runs short of what would have been a richly deserved hundred in a losing cause. Sajid Khan, who resumed on eight, contributed a valuable 28 from 36 balls with five fours before his dismissal broke the partnership. The two batters put on 54 runs for the eighth wicket in 74 balls.

For Bangladesh, Taijul Islam claimed two of the last three wickets to finish with figures of 34.2-4-120-6 and match figures of nine for 187 — a magnificent bowling performance across the match.

The defeat was Shan Masood’s 12th in 16 Tests as captain, leaving his future in the role hanging by a thread. It was also Pakistan’s third consecutive away series defeat since 2023, and their sixth series loss in 12 since March 2022.

Scores in brief:

2nd Test (day five of five, Sylhet), Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 78 runs

BANGLADESH 278 all out, 77 overs (Litton Das 126, Najmul Hossain Shanto 29, Tanzid Hasan 26, Mushfiqur Rahim 23, Mominul Haque 22; Khurram Shahzad 4-81, Mohammad Abbas 3-45, Hasan Ali 2-49) and 390 all out (Mushfiqur Rahim 137, Litton Das 69, Mahmudul Hasan Joy 52, Mominul Haque 30, Taijul Islam 22; Khurram Shahzad 4-86, Sajid Khan 3-126, Hasan Ali 2-83)

PAKISTAN 232 all out, 57.4 overs (Babar Azam 68, Sajid Khan 38, Shan Masood 21, Salman Agha 21, Hasan Ali 18; Nahid Rana 3-60, Taijul Islam 3-67, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 2-21, Taskin Ahmed 2-37) and 358 (Mohammad Rizwan 94, Salman Ali Agha 71, Shan Masood 71, Babar Azam 47, Sajid Khan 28, Azan Awais 21; Taijul Islam 6-120, Nahid Rana 2-71)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Litton Das (Bangladesh)

PLAYER OF THE SERIES – Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)

1st Test – Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 104 runs, Mirpur