Taijul snaps up 6 wickets as Tigers whitewash Pakistan in Test series

Bangladesh won by 78 runs as the spinner tore through the lower order on Wednesday

A six-wicket haul in the fourth and final innings from spinner Taijul Islam has seen the Tigers close out the Sylhet Test against Pakistan with a victory by 78 runs.

The win means that Bangladesh whitewashed the two-match series after their comfortable 101-run triumph in Mirpur.

Pakistan were clinging on at the end of play on Day 4, 121 runs short of the target with only three wickets remaining.

Taijul (6-120) and Shoriful Islam (1-29) wrapped up the game before lunch on Day 5 on Thursday.

Sajid Khan (28) was the first to fall as Taijul turned a delivery just enough to catch the outside edge into the waiting hands of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Shoriful then rang the death knell for the game as a lengthy ball wide of off stump tempted Mohammad Rizwan (94) to cut straight to Mehidy Hasan Miraz at gully, bringing an end to his valiant effort.

Taijul closed out the innings by grabbing the wicket of Khurram Shahzad and delivering a series sweep for the Tigers.

It is also a historic moment for Bangladesh, as the national team has won four consecutive Test series for the first time.

While Taijul, who also picked up 3-67 in the first innings, and Mushfiqur Rahim, whose 137 in the third innings saw him leap to the top of Bangladesh’s century scorers in the format, made vital contributions to the Tigers’ triumph, wicketkeeper-batsman Litton Das was named the Player of the Match.

After all, it was Litton who stood firm in the face of batting collapse in the first innings, fending off a sharp Pakistan bowling attack to post 126 and take Bangladesh to a modest total of 278.

Fortunately, Bangladesh’s bowling attack picked up the slack. Taijul, Nahid Rana (3-60), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (2-21) and Taskin Ahmed (2-37) restricting the visitors to only 232 in the second innings and gave the Tigers a lead heading into the third.

With Mushfiqur providing the backbone, Litton chipped in again with 69, and Mahmudul Hasan Joy weighed in with 52.

Posting 390, the Tigers set Pakistan a target of 437. Thanks to Taijul, they fell 78 runs short.