SPORTS DESK (MNN); Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana delivered a sensational performance, claiming his first five-wicket haul in One Day Internationals to guide Bangladesh to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the opening match of the three-match series on Wednesday.
Playing at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Rana returned remarkable bowling figures of 5 for 24, dismantling Pakistan’s batting line-up and helping bowl them out for just 114 runs.
Bangladesh chased down the modest target comfortably in 15.1 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series with a commanding performance.
Opening batter Tanzid Hasan led the chase with an aggressive unbeaten knock of 67 runs from just 42 balls. His innings included several powerful strokes and ensured Bangladesh reached the target quickly.
Tanzid formed a crucial second-wicket partnership of 82 runs with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who contributed 27 runs to the chase. Their partnership stabilized the innings after an early wicket and set the tone for the comfortable victory.
Earlier in the chase, Saif Hassan was dismissed for four runs, while Litton Das remained unbeaten on three alongside Tanzid Hasan as Bangladesh sealed the victory with ease.
The foundation for Bangladesh’s dominant win was laid by Nahid Rana’s outstanding bowling spell earlier in the match.
The 23-year-old fast bowler delivered an exceptional seven-over spell, ripping through Pakistan’s top-order batting lineup and restricting them to their lowest-ever ODI total against Bangladesh.
Pakistan’s previous lowest total against Bangladesh in one-day internationals had been 161, recorded during the 1999 Cricket World Cup. Rana’s devastating spell ensured that record was broken in emphatic fashion.
Nahid Rana also achieved a historic milestone during the match, becoming the first Bangladeshi bowler to dismiss the top five batters of the opposition in a single ODI innings.
He removed several key Pakistani players, including Sahibzada Farhan for 27, Shamyl Hussain for 4, Maaz Sadaqat for 18, captain Mohammad Rizwan for 10 and Salman Agha for 5, reducing Pakistan to a precarious 69 for 5.
Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz provided strong support with the ball, taking three wickets for 29 runs with his off-spin bowling.
Experienced fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman also chipped in with one wicket each to maintain pressure on Pakistan’s batting lineup.
Pakistan’s batting struggled throughout the innings, with only a brief resistance coming from all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, who scored 37 runs while batting at number eight.
However, his efforts were not enough to stabilize the innings as he was eventually dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman. Pakistan were finally bowled out for 114 in 30.4 overs.
The match marked a significant breakthrough for Nahid Rana in his emerging international career.
The young fast bowler made his ODI debut in 2024 and had taken only five wickets in his first five matches prior to this encounter. His remarkable five-wicket haul in his sixth appearance has now established him as one of Bangladesh’s promising pace bowlers.
With this performance, Nahid Rana also became only the second Bangladeshi bowler to take a five-wicket haul against Pakistan in One Day Internationals.
The first Bangladeshi bowler to achieve the feat was Mustafizur Rahman, who claimed 5 wickets for 75 runs against Pakistan during the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Bangladesh’s dominant victory has given them a strong start in the series and placed Pakistan under pressure ahead of the remaining two matches.
