Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 8 wickets in first Test

Gulf Today Report

Abid Ali fell just shy of back-to-back centuries by nine runs but Pakistan comfortably chased down a 202-run target to beat Bangladesh by eight wickets on Tuesday in the first cricket Test in Chittagong on Tuesday.

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Ali's 151-run stand with fellow opener Abdullah Shafique helped bring play to an end before lunch on the final day, beating their first-innings partnership by five.

Pakistan's Abid Ali (left) and teammate Abdullah Shafiq run between the wickets during the first Test match against Bangladesh in Chittagong. AFP

The duo had already made 109 overnight, chasing 202.

Resuming Day 5 at 109 without loss, and just 93 runs away from the victory, Pakistan’s openers appeared to be in full control until offspinner Mehidy Hasan struck.

Shafique followed his first-innings half-century to reach 73 before Mehidy (1-59) trapped him lbw.

Bangladesh had to wait until the 10th over of the day for their first success when Mehidy Hasan trapped debutant Shafique lbw on 73 with a fuller delivery.

Pakistan's Abid Ali (left) and Shaheen Shah Afridi pose with their prizes in Chittagong, Bangladesh. AFP

Shafique, who also scored a fifty in the first innings, fell after hitting eight fours and a six.

Ali, who made 133 in Pakistan's first innings, looked poised to become first Pakistani to a make a Test century pair in six years, after Misbah-ul-Haq achieved the feat against Australia in 2014.

But Taijul Islam hit him in front of the middle stump with a straighter delivery, with Pakistan just 31 runs from victory.

"Our thought process was to stay at the wicket and put up a partnership. I have been playing domestic cricket and performing well. That's what I carried into this game," said man of the match Ali.

Bangladesh and Pakistan cricketers shake hands after the end of the first Test cricket match in Chittagong. AFP

He left the crease to a standing ovation and was also congratulated by Bangladeshi fielders on a splendid 148-ball innings that saw 12 boundaries.

Azhar Ali, 24 not out, finished the game at over 58.3 after back-to-back boundaries off Mehidy, with skipper Babar Azam unbeaten on 13 at the other end.

"We came back well... and that's what Test cricket is all about," said Babar.

Liton Das' maiden Test century helped Bangladesh post 330 in its first innings, then Taijul Islam claimed 7-116 to bowl out Pakistan for 286 - giving the hosts a 44-run first innings lead.

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was instrumental in Pakistan's rally, returned figures of 5-32 to wrap up Bangladesh’s second innings for 157.

The second Test starts Saturday in Dhaka.