The Strategic “Wide” Overturn
Despite it being a leg-side delivery with no chance of an LBW, Miraz—on the urgent advice of wicketkeeper Litton Das and teammate Najmul Hossain Shanto—opted for a DRS review. The goal was purely tactical: to check for a faint edge that would nullify the wide.
Replays confirmed the ball had grazed Shaheen Shah Afridi’s bat. The wide was overturned, the extra run was deducted, and the legal delivery stood. The maneuver effectively drained the momentum from Pakistan’s chase, leading Bangladesh to an 11-run victory.
“Litton and Shanto suggested that since we had reviews left, we should take it,” Miraz explained during the post-match press conference. “It was part of our plan.”
A Game of Two Halves
The match was a rollercoaster from the start:
The Surge: Bangladesh posted a formidable 290, powered by a brilliant century from Tanzid Hasan Tamim.
The Collapse: Pakistan’s chase stuttered early, falling to 82/5 under the heat of Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman’s opening spells.
The Fightback: Salman Agha dragged Pakistan back into the contest with a superb century, turning a comfortable defense into a nerve-wracking finish.
History in Mirpur
Despite a late cameo of two sixes from Shaheen Afridi, the Tigers held their nerve. This victory marks only the second time in history that Bangladesh has secured an ODI series win over Pakistan.
Miraz admitted the tension was high: “I always believed we would win, but it became very close. We couldn’t take wickets in the middle overs, which made things difficult.”
