Bangladesh on Tuesday set Pakistan a target of 268 runs to win in at least 76 overs in the opening Test of the two-match series after declaring their second innings at 240 for nine in the first session on day five at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Resuming the day on 152 for three, Bangladesh’s batters looked to score quickly but lost wickets at regular intervals. However, before declaring, they added 88 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs to put Pakistan under pressure.

Najmul Hossain Shanto was once again the standout performer, scoring 87 off 150 balls after his century in the first innings, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mushfiqur Rahim contributed 24 and 22 respectively.

Shanto missed out on a memorable milestone when he attempted a reverse sweep and was trapped LBW by Noman Ali. Had he reached three figures, he would have joined Ricky Ponting, Sunil Gavaskar and David Warner as only the fourth batter to score centuries in both innings of a Test match on three separate occasions.

Pakistan, however, will still be chasing history in Mirpur, as no team has successfully chased more than 209 runs in the fourth innings to win a Test at this venue.

England hold the record for the highest successful chase at Mirpur, reaching 209 for one against Bangladesh national in 2010, while South Africa are second with 205 for five against the hosts in 2008.

For Bangladesh, the highest successful fourth-innings chase remains 138 for three against Ireland in 2023.

With history and Mirpur’s challenging conditions in mind, Bangladesh have left Pakistan with a daunting task -- especially against a side they defeated in their last two Tests in Rawalpindi in 2024.