Tigers pursue historic victory amid a shadow of sorrow

History calls Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today, but celebrations will be subdued.

As the Tigers step onto the field for the second T20I against Pakistan, they carry not only the hope of a landmark series win but also the weight of national mourning.

Just a day ago, a tragic fighter jet crash devastated Milestone School & College in Dhaka, claiming the lives of numerous students. In the shadow of this calamity, the Bangladesh team will take the field with heavy hearts.

To honour the victims, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced solemn observances on what has been declared a National Mourning Day. Flags will fly at half-mast across all BCB venues, including the Sher-e-Bangla, while a minute of silence will precede the match. Players and officials from both sides will wear black armbands, and the usually vibrant stadium will fall silent, with no music played throughout the evening.

Special prayers have also been arranged for those who lost their lives or were injured in the crash.

Amid this poignant atmosphere, Liton Das and his men will try to etch a historic milestone in Bangladesh’s cricket journey — a maiden T20I series win against Pakistan, a feat long out of reach.

Coming off a morale-boosting series victory in Sri Lanka, the Tigers carry momentum. They dominated the first match, beating Pakistan by seven wickets. Taskin Ahmed’s fiery 3 for 22 and Mustafizur Rahman’s miserly 4-0-6-2 restricted Pakistan to just 110 in 19.3 overs, before Parvez Hossain Emon anchored the chase with a calm, unbeaten 56 off 39 balls.

That win marked only Bangladesh’s fourth T20I triumph in 23 meetings with Pakistan — three of which have come at this very venue.

“We’re familiar with the Mirpur wicket, and although it's not easy, our batting looked solid,” skipper Liton Das remarked after Sunday’s victory. “We want to keep building from here.”

For Pakistan, who convincingly beat Bangladesh 3-0 at home just two months ago, the tables have turned. Now facing elimination, they must win to keep the series alive and will be eager to respond.

But they will be facing more than just a spirited opponent — they’ll be up against a team backed by a grieving nation, determined to draw strength from its sorrow.

Both squads observed a scheduled rest day on Monday, with no media engagements, offering a moment of pause and reflection before what promises to be an emotionally charged contest.