Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed a match-winning six-wicket haul as Bangladesh thrashed Pakistan by 78 runs in the second Test, completing a dominant 2-0 series sweep at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

The victory followed Bangladesh's 104-run triumph in the opening Test and marked their second successive Test series whitewash over Pakistan after also securing a 2-0 sweep in 2024, that too on Pakistan's soil.

Having done so, they won a Test series against a top-flight nation in both home and away for the first time, other than Zimbabwe.

Pakistan resumed Day 5 at 316-7, still needing 121 runs with three wickets in pursuit of a daunting 437-run target, a summit that no team has ever succeeded in Test cricket's 149-year history.

Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 358, just less than 30 minutes before the lunch session on the final day, after losing the remaining three wickets in 12 balls for no runs.

But the visitors threatened to do the unthinkable with their vice-captain Mohammad Rizwan showing staunch determination.

He continued to frustrate Bangladesh with a determined counterattack.

Rizwan struck fast bowler Nahid Rana, who claimed 2-58, for consecutive boundaries in the third over of the day to give Pakistan a psychological edge.

Rizwan struck fast bowler Nahid Rana, who claimed 2-58, for consecutive boundaries in the third over of the day to give Pakistan a psychological frame.

His overnight partner Sajid Khan also scored freely, threatening to pull off an extraordinary chase.

The pair added 54 runs for the eighth wicket to put Bangladesh under pressure and briefly raised hopes of an improbable chase.

Sajid played his part effectively with 28 runs, while Rizwan moved steadily toward what would have been his fourth Test century.

However, Bangladesh found the breakthrough through their dependable left-arm spinner Taijul. After bowling tirelessly from one end, Taijul dismissed Sajid to end the dangerous partnership and swing the momentum back toward the hosts.

The wicket also brought up Taijul's 18th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, leaving him just one short of the Bangladesh record of 19 held by Shakib Al Hasan.

Pakistan's resistance finally ended in the following over when Rizwan, attempting to cut a delivery from Shoriful Islam, guided the ball straight to gully. Rizwan fell for a fighting 94 off 184 balls, an innings decorated with 10 boundaries. With Rizwan gone, Pakistan collapsed quickly. Taijul wrapped up the innings by dismissing Khurram Shahzad for a duck as the visitors lost their remaining three wickets in the span of just 12 deliveries to be bowled out for 358.

Earlier, Bangladesh were dismissed for 278 in their first innings, thanks to Liton Das's sublime 126, before bowling Pakistan out for 232. The hosts then piled up 390 in the second innings, courtesy of Mushfiqur Rahim's record-breaking 137, setting Pakistan a daunting target that ultimately proved beyond reach.

S.M./CitizenTimes