A Special Win for Captain Shanto

Bangladesh has achieved a historic 10-wicket victory against Pakistan at Rawalpindi, marking their first-ever Test win over Pakistan. This victory comes at a time when the country is grappling with severe political violence and devastating floods, providing a much-needed ray of hope and joy for many. Adding to the significance of the win is the fact that it coincided with the birthday of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.

In the post-match press conference, Shanto shared his emotions about securing Bangladesh's first Test victory against Pakistan:

“It feels amazing. When we arrived this morning, we believed we could win. We were ahead by 94 runs. The pace bowlers had some issues with their line and length, and it was also challenging to play spin. We had faith that if we could bowl in the right areas, we would be able to defeat them, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Shanto emphasized the importance of this victory amid the country's turmoil:

“It’s very significant. The last month has been very challenging for us. There are still some issues. In Bangladesh, we always support each other, and we hope this victory brings a smile to people’s faces. We are very happy about that. We aim to continue this performance in the next match.”

The Bangladesh cricket team dedicated their win to the martyrs of the anti-discrimination student movement, many of whom were victims of the autocratic regime of the Sheikh Hasina government:

“We dedicate this Test victory to those who lost their lives in the anti-discrimination student movement. We offer our heartfelt prayers for them. I believe their families have been through very tough times, and we hope this victory brings some joy to their faces.”

The second and final Test of the series will also be held in Rawalpindi. Looking ahead, Shanto expressed hope for continued success:

“This win is certainly important. We thoroughly enjoyed this match. Now, we need to prepare ourselves for the next match and figure out how we can win. We believe we can win the next match too. It’s about the process and how we play session by session. We need to consider how to keep performing well and how to strategize for the next game.”