Bangladesh achieved a historic first-ever Test series win over Pakistan with a tense six-wicket victory in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, completing a 2-0 clean sweep. Shakib Al Hasan struck the winning boundary just 25 minutes before the tea break on the final day, setting off celebrations in the Bangladesh dressing room.

A small group of Bangladeshi fans waving their national flag were also present to witness their team secure only their third away series win in 33 attempts. Shakib remained unbeaten on 21, while Mushfiqur Rahim was on 22 as Bangladesh carefully chased down the challenging 185-run target. Contributions from openers Zakir Hasan (40) and Shadman Islam (24), along with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (38) and Mominul Haque (34), helped guide Bangladesh to this historic victory.

Pakistan scored 274 and 172 in their second Test innings, while Bangladesh had recovered from a precarious 26-6 to score 262 in their first innings. Litton Das’s 138 was crucial in rescuing Bangladesh, and fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud (5-43) and Nahid Rana (4-44) delivered standout performances on Monday.

Bangladesh had previously won the first Test by 10 wickets, also in Rawalpindi, marking their first victory over Pakistan in 14 encounters. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto described the series win as monumental and expressed excitement for the warm reception awaiting the team back home in a nation recently marked by political unrest and the recent overthrow of former premier Sheikh Hasina.

It means a lot to Bangladesh cricket and to all the players,” said Shanto. “I cannot express the feelings fully, but I can say we are all very happy and overjoyed. When we came here, everyone was determined to do something special and we wanted to win. I’m pleased that everyone performed their role well, and we’ve achieved a historic series win.”

Bangladesh outperformed the home team in both Tests, showcasing superior bowling despite an inexperienced pace attack. Prior to this series, Bangladesh’s only away Test series victories were in the West Indies in 2009 and in Zimbabwe three years ago.

In contrast, Pakistan has now lost six of their last 10 home Tests, with the remaining four ending in draws. “It is extremely disappointing to lose at the start of a busy season,” said Pakistan captain Shan Masood, whose team will face England in a three-match home series starting next month. “In both Tests, we allowed them back into the game, including from 26-6 in this one, so we need to address these issues before our next series.