Bangladesh’s clinical 104-run triumph over Pakistan in Mirpur on Tuesday did more than just secure a series lead; it completely rewrote the nation’s Test record books.

Led by a record-equalling performance from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and a historic five-wicket haul from express pacer Nahid Rana, the hosts signalled a profound power shift in Asian cricket.

Nahid Rana’s five-wicket haul powers Bangladesh to comfortable win over Pakistan

Rana became the first pace bowler in Bangladesh’s 26-year Test history to claim five wickets in the fourth innings of a match. His devastating spell of 5-40 not only dismantled the Pakistani chase but also ended a 16-year drought for Bangladeshi seamers on home soil.

The last pacer to achieve a five-wicket haul in Bangladesh was Shahadat Hossain, who took 5-71 against India in 2010.

The young speedster remained relatively quiet during the opening hour of the final session before unleashing a ferocious spell of 4.5-2-10-4 to gut the visitors' middle and lower order.

Rana’s performance eclipsed the previous fourth-innings record for a Bangladeshi pacer, held by Taskin Ahmed, who took 4-37 against Afghanistan in 2023.

Upon dismissing Shaheen Shah Afridi with a sharp bouncer to seal the match, Rana performed a sajdah of gratitude, having etched his name into the record books.

Complementing Rana’s breakthrough was the tactical leadership of Najmul Hossain Shanto, who equalled Mushfiqur Rahim’s record for the most Test wins as a Bangladesh captain.

Remarkably, Shanto reached the milestone of seven victories in just 17 matches – exactly half the number of games required by Mushfiqur to set the original mark.

Since taking the helm, Shanto has led the side to landmark victories against New Zealand, Ireland, and Zimbabwe, alongside a historic away sweep in Pakistan.

Shanto nearly paired his leadership record with a rare batting feat. Having scored 101 in the first innings, the left-hander fell for 87 in the second, narrowly missing the chance to become only the fourth player in cricket history to score twin centuries in a single Test on three separate occasions.

Despite the missed personal milestone, the victory consolidates Shanto’s position as the face of a revitalised Bangladesh squad.

With a top order finding its rhythm and a historic resurgence from the pace battery, led by Rana, Bangladesh head into the next match with unprecedented momentum.