Sport
Bangladesh sweep test series in Pakistan in healing touch for troubled nation
Bangladesh arrived last month having failed to beat Pakistan in a test match in their previous 13 attempts and then went on to win two in a row.
Bangladesh cruised to a six-wicket victory in the second test against Pakistan on Tuesday to complete a 2-0 series sweep and provide a healing touch to a nation recovering from a political upheaval.
Chasing 185 for victory, Bangladesh rode a string of cameos to seal their third test series victory away from home with more than one session left at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Opener Zakir Hasan (40), skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (38) and Mominul Haq (34) chipped in with useful cameos.
Veterans Mushfiqur Rahim (22) and Shakib Al Hasan (21) combined to guide the visitors to a memorable victory.
“It means a lot, I can’t express it in words,” an emotional Shanto said at the presentation ceremony.
“We were looking to win here and I’m very happy with the way everyone has done their job.”
All-rounder Mehedy Hasan Miraz dedicated his player-of-the-series award to a victim of the recent anti-government protests in Bangladesh, which culminated with ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India last month.
The country’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus called Shanto to congratulate the team on their series victory.
Bangladesh arrived last month having failed to beat Pakistan in a test match in their previous 13 attempts and then went on to win two in a row.
They won the series opener by 10 wickets , their first ever test victory against Pakistan, after the home side had declared their first innings on 448-6.
Bangladesh showed similar resilience in the second test when they slumped to 26-6 in the first innings before player-of-the-match Litton Das smashed 138 to rescue them.
For the first time, Bangladesh seamers claimed all 10 wickets as they skittled out Pakistan for 172 in the second innings to lay the foundation of their victory.
“Extremely disappointed, especially at the start of the home season,” rued Pakistan captain Shan Masood.
“We had two opportunities to bowl them out, especially here when they were 26-6, but we let them back in the game.”
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
In the 25th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Jawanan Perozi.
On Friday, in the 26th match, Istiqlal Kabul defeated Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1.
Tomorrow, in the 27th match, Arman FC will take on Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 10:00 AM, followed by the 28th match, where Sarafan Herat will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 PM.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving football fans across the country the chance to experience the excitement and intensity of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
In the 23rd match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Arman FC put on a dominant and electrifying display, overpowering Aino Mina 6–0.
In Thursday’s 24th fixture, Khurasan Faryab took on Ettifaq Khanzadah and secured a solid 2–0 victory.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s games, Jawanan Perozi will face Abu Muslim Farah at 10:00 a.m. in the 25th match, while Istiqlal Kabul meets Sarsabz Yashlar at 1:30 p.m. in the 26th encounter.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving fans across the country the opportunity to follow the excitement and energy of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
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