When Mushfiqur Rahim cracked Kyle Jamieson a cut to the off-side for a boundary in Mount Maunganui, most Bangladeshis were fast asleep.
Only two runs were needed to upset World Test Champions New Zealand in their home turf, and Mushfiqur ran into roaring, fisting bumps and hugging non-striker Momiminul Haque as he hit the winning four.
The sun had not risen then in Bangladesh, but few did wake up across the country to witness the famous Test win of Bangladesh on TV or mobile screen- undoubtedly the best Test result of Bangladesh so far in 22 years.
“It was teamwork. Everyone was keen to win the match and they put their hand up in all three departments,” the Bangladesh Test captain said. “We won because of the bowlers. They were outstanding in both the first and second innings. They did all the hard work and bowled in the right areas. Ebadot was unbelievable to us.”
After Ebadot Hossain’s history-making six-wicket haul for 46, it was only a matter of time for Bangladesh to score 40 runs in the fourth innings of the match with a lot of overs were remaining. Despite losing Shadman Islam early, Bangladesh’s win was a cakewalk, and eventually, it came and ended a 32-match drought in New Zealand with eight wickets in hand.
The platform was set by Ebadot in the third session of the fourth day when he ran a riot taking three wickets of New Zealand in quick succession after a boring stand by Will Young and Ross Taylor.
After Ebadot removed Young with a wonderful delivery that the latter seemed to not have expected, the floodgate was open and two more wickets came in two successive overs of Ebadot.
New Zealand had an insignificant lead of 17 runs at the end of day four with only five wickets in hand. Bangladesh needed to restrict them with a small lead, and it was done properly after a dream-start by Ebadot who removed Taylor in the second over the day.
Taylor tried to prod the ball forward, but the good-length delivery sneaked to the stumps through the tiny gap between his bat and pads. Ebadot offered a customary salute- his trademark celebration what he did after taking all seven wickets in this Test, but Taylor’s one was significant as it completed his maiden fifer in Test.
In his next over, Ebadot removed Kyle Jamieson and Bangladesh were at the final stage of making history.
Two of the last three wickets were taken by Taskin Ahmed and the last one by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. New Zealand were able to score only 22 runs losing their last five wickets in 10.4 overs.
Bangladesh needed 40 runs to wrap up their biggest win Tests. Tim Southee earned an early breakthrough for New Zealand, removing Shadman in the second over with Bangladesh having three runs on the board.
In the second wicket stand, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul added 29 runs, and Bangladesh’s win was only a matter of time. Shanto was removed by Jamieson for 17 when Bangladesh needed only 11 runs. The rest was done by Mominul and Mushfiqur.
This win has unfolded many chapters for Bangladesh’s Test journey- it was the first win against New Zealand in any format in New Zealand, the first win against any of the top-five Test teams away from home, first win in the World Test Championship.
The second Test of this series will be played at Christchurch from January 9. With one win in the pocket, Bangladesh will surely put a hard fight in that match as captain Mominul has hinted.