After sweeping Pakistan, Bangladesh captain confident about tough India tour

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is full of confidence after his team's historic 2-0 Test series sweep against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

The victory has elevated Bangladesh to No 4 in the World Test Championship standings.

This triumph has strengthened the team's belief in their ability to win abroad. As they gear up for a two-match Test series against top-ranked India, Shanto hopes the success against Pakistan will provide strong motivation.

"One word: belief. It feels great when you are winning. It is important to enjoy these moments. I think such a moment has never come in the Bangladesh team's history. Cricketers look for references. Now we have one. We know that we have the ability to win abroad," Shanto said.

Shanto expressed confidence in his team’s potential, stating that their hard work in Pakistan had instilled a strong belief in their capabilities. He highlighted that this newfound confidence will be crucial as they face India.

"The next time we play, I don't know about the result, but we will surely have the belief that we can win. I said the same thing in the press conference on the first day [when asked about Bangladesh's dismal record in Pakistan] that records are meant to be broken. It was from my belief after seeing how hard the players worked,” Shanto added.

The first Test of the series against India will take place at the historic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, starting on September 19.

The second Test will be held at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, beginning on September 27.

Pakistan cricket hit a new low as they suffered a 2-0 series sweep against Bangladesh, with the visitors securing a six-wicket victory in Rawalpindi.

Chasing 185 runs, key contributions from Zakir Hasan (40), Najmul Hossain Shanto (38), and Mominul Haque (34) helped Bangladesh comfortably seal the win.

The victory marked an emotional moment for Bangladesh fans and a significant achievement for veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, who were at the crease when the historic feat was accomplished.

This series sweep adds to Pakistan's dismal Test performance over the past year, where they have now lost five consecutive matches, including three defeats against Australia. Bangladesh's win was their third-ever overseas.

Test series victory and only their fourth Test win on foreign soil in seven years, highlighting the magnitude of their success.

In contrast, Pakistan, led by Shan Masood, has struggled, with the team failing to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship final and now sitting eighth in the nine-team table.