BAN vs PAK 2026: 'Declaration was a massive decision' - Shanto reflects on bold call that led to historic win

Published - 12 May 2026, 20:13 IST | Updated - 12 May 2026, 20:52 IST

Bangladesh completed a massive 104-run victory in the recently concluded first Test against Pakistan at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka, on a batting-friendly wicket. What stood out for the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side was the surprise call to declare the innings. Shanto believes that calling the innings off stemmed from the mindset of pulling off a favourable result from the match.

The Bangladesh skipper, who made a century in the first innings and nearly another with an 87 in the second, reflected on the win, saying that the way they played today is the template they want to follow in future as well. According to Shanto, the win after making a brave move in the third innings will be a huge confidence booster for the side going forward.

"I think the biggest thing in this Test match was the declaration; that was a massive decision. Something our team has never quite done before in this way. This will serve us in the future, and this decision will give us more confidence that it's possible to win a match from a position like this. I'd say that's the most novel thing that happened in this entire Test match," said Najmul, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

As the last day of the match began, Bangladesh had called their innings off after a 267-run lead, leaving a little over 70 overs for the Shan Masood-led visiting side to chase the target down. However, an attacking bowling intent, where Nahid Rana breathed fire with his five-wicket haul, pulled things back in the hosts' favour. Eventually, Pakistan were bundled out for just 163, handing a comfortable win for the Bangla Tigers.

"From the morning, our message was that we would play to win – regardless of the situation. At the Tea break, the coach gave the same message, and we all went back in with the belief that we would win from here. And if we couldn't win, we'd at least make it very hard for them to save the match. That was the attitude. Not for a single moment did we think we might lose the match or that we wanted a draw. We had that aggressive mindset and we tried to win," he added.

Shanto & Co. have now gained an unassailable lead in the two-match series, courtesy of their historic Dhaka win. The second and final encounter will now be played at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, as Bangladesh will look to gain a few more crucial points in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.