Nahid Rana rewrote Bangladesh pace bowling history with a record-breaking five-wicket haul as Bangladesh defeated Pakistan in Mirpur on 12 May.
Nahid Rana produced a spell for the ages, taking 5 for 40 in the fourth innings to help Bangladesh beat Pakistan in Mirpur. The performance not only sealed a famous victory but also etched his name into Bangladesh’s Test history as the first pacer to take a five-wicket haul in a fourth innings.
It was a moment of instinctive celebration followed by quiet reflection. After dismissing Shaheen Shah Afridi to complete the win, Nahid briefly celebrated before realising he had reached his five-wicket milestone. He then stepped aside, bowed his head, and offered a moment of gratitude.
The achievement is unprecedented in Bangladesh’s 26-year Test history. No Bangladesh pacer had ever taken a five-wicket haul in a fourth innings before this match.
The feat is even more significant considering how rarely Bangladesh’s fast bowlers get extended opportunities in fourth innings at home. But in this Mirpur Test, the surface remained competitive across five days, giving Nahid the chance to deliver a match-defining spell.
At the start of the final session, he had just one wicket. He ended it with five, tearing through Pakistan’s lower order in a devastating burst.
Nahid’s final spell produced figures of 4.5-2-10-4, dismantling Pakistan’s chase in quick time. His overall figures of 5 for 40 marked a new career best and one of the most impactful fast-bowling performances in Bangladesh Test history.
Pakistan were bowled out for 163 while chasing 268, as Bangladesh sealed a 104-run victory with 23.1 overs remaining.
The performance also ended a 16-year wait for a Bangladesh pacer to take a five-wicket haul on home soil. The last was Shahadat Hossain, who achieved the feat in 2010 against India in Chattogram.
Before Nahid, Shahadat remained the only Bangladesh fast bowler with a home five-for, alongside earlier performances against South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Before this match, the best fourth-innings figures by a Bangladesh pacer belonged to Taskin Ahmed, who took 4 for 37 against Afghanistan in 2023. The only other such instance was Ziaur Rahman’s 4 for 63 against Zimbabwe in 2013.
