Bangladesh needed 33 runs for a historic win. England needed two wickets. The Tigers had Sabbir Rahman, a set batsman, in the crease alongside Taijul Islam, whose Test highest 32 meant a win is not impossible. But it was not meant to be.
Ben Stokes consigned Sabbir to the role of a tragic hero, as he pinned both Taijul Islam and Shafiul Islam leg before the wicket in three balls to hand England a 22-run victory. Two reviews — one sought by the hosts and one by the visitors — both went in England’s favour, as all that Sabbir could do is haplessly watch the bubble burst.
Taijul hit Stokes for a four in the first over of the day as expectations ran higher, followed by two runs in the next six bowled by Stuart Broad.
Stokes then came again and kind of single-handedly won it for the visitors. It was his fine individual performance that made the difference in the Test, he took four wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings to restrict them to a paltry 248 and then scored 85 runs in England’s second innings to help them post a decent total of 240.
It is again a so close yet so far affair for Bangladesh that will haunt them for quite some time, but the Tigers fought bravely in their first Test after 14 months and there are a number of things they can feel good about.
And yes there will be many ifs and buts as well. What if Sabbir had opted to keep the strike and tried to win the game himself? What if Kumar Dharmasena had not declared Shafiul leg before? Could the review not come in Bangladesh’s favour since the onfield umpire said ‘not out’?
But then again the Tigers have some areas where improvement is needed as well. They better got them sorted out by the 28th, when the second and final Test begins in Dhaka.
SCORES
England first innings 293 (M Ali 68, J Bairstow 52; Mehedi Hasan 6-80)
Bangladesh first innings 248 (Tamim Iqbal 78; B Stokes 4-26, Moeen Ali 3-75)
England 2nd innings 240 (B Stokes 85; Shakib Al Hasan 5-85)
Bangladesh second innings (Sabbir 64; Batty 3-65, Stokes 2-20)
