RAWALPINDI                  -              Pakistan needed less than 90 minutes on Monday to claim the last four Bangladesh wickets and steamroll the tourists by an innings and 44 runs inside four days in the opening test in Rawalpindi.

Resuming on 126-6 after conceding a first-innings lead of 212, Bangladesh could not make Pakistan bat again and were all out for 168. Yasir Shah (4-58) claimed two of the last four wickets but 16-year-old Naseem Shah was named man of the match after becoming the youngest bowler to claim a test hat-trick on Sunday.

The onus was on Mominul Haq (41) to try to erase the deficit but the Bangladesh skipper fell lbw to Shaheen Afridi in the very first over of the day. Mominul reviewed the decision but could not get it overturned. Mohammad Abbas trapped Rubel Hossain (five) lbw before Yasir hastened Bangladesh’s collapse. The leg-spinner dismissed Liton Das for 29 and then induced Abu Jayed into a wild slog with Asad Shafiq running back from slip to collect the top edge.

Home captain Azhar Ali hailed Pakistan’s effort and was particularly pleased with how smartly they had used the review option in both Bangladesh’s innings. “One of those games where we can be proud of our reviews, credit to (wicketkeeper Mohammad) Rizwan and the other guys for supporting me there,” he said. “Usually we’re not good at it but this is a very good start for us to carry forward.”

Pakistan’s Naseem, who turns 17 this week, did not bowl on Monday because of rib injury. “I had an MRI yesterday, nothing serious. I just pulled a muscle there,” he said at the presentation ceremony. “Getting a hat-trick in front of your home crowd is special. I want to thank the fans and will continue to give my best for the country.”

Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque rued Bangladesh’s low first-innings total. “Disappointing batting on a flat wicket (in the first innings) and no team can come back from such situations,” said Haque, who has now lost all three Tests as skipper by an innings. “Pakistan bowled superbly and exploited our weaknesses and that hat-trick changed the game completely to open Pakistan’s victory path.”

With the victory, Pakistan gained 60 points in the World Test Championship, taking their tally to 140 points. India lead the nine-team championship table with 360 points followed by Australia (246) and England 146. Top two teams on the championship table will play the final at Lord´s in June 2021. Pakistan’s victory was on the cards after they bowled Bangladesh out for 233 in the first innings and then piled up 445 in reply, with Babar Azam smashing 143 and Shan Masood 100. This becomes Bangladesh´s sixth defeat in 14 months, including their fifth by an innings. They have yet to score a championship point in three Tests.

The second Test starts in Karachi — after a two-month break - from April 5-9. Bangladesh, who played a three-match T20 series with Pakistan last month, insisted on splitting their tour into three phases over security concerns. They will also play a one-day international in Karachi (April 3) before the second Test.

Scorecard

BANGLADESH 1ST INNINGS: 233 all out
PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS: 445 all out
BANGLADESH 2ND INNINGS:
Tamim Iqbal lbw b Yasir Shah 34
Saif Hassan b Naseem Shah 16
Najmul Hossain lbw b Naseem Shah 38
Mominul Haque lbw b Shaheen Afridi 41
Taijul Islam lbw b Naseem Shah 0
Mahmudullah c Haris b Naseem Shah 0
M Mithun b Yasir Shah 0
Liton Das lbw b Yasir Shah 29
Rubel Hossain lbw b M Abbas 5
Abu Jayed c Asad Shafiq b Yasir Shah 3
Ebadat Hossain not out 0
EXTRAS: (w 2) 2
TOTAL: (all out, 62.2 overs) 168
FOW: 1-39, 2-53, 3-124, 4-124, 5-124, 6-126, 7-130, 8-156, 9-165, 10-168.
BOWLING: Shaheen Shah Afridi 16-6-39-1, Mohammad Abbas 17.4-6-33-1, Naseem Shah 8.2-2-26-4, Yasir Shah 17.2-3-58-4, Asad Shafiq 3-0-12-0.
TOSS: Pakistan
UMPIRES: Chris Gaffaney, Nigel Llong
TV UMPIRE: Marais Erasmus
MATCH REFEREE: Sir Richie Richardson