In a thrilling Day 5 showdown at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto delivered a captain's knock of 87 runs, setting Pakistan a challenging target of 268 for victory in the first test match.

The hosts came out with aggressive intent from the morning session, declaring their second innings at 240-9 after resuming at 152-3. With an overall lead of 179 runs, Bangladesh knew they needed to push the pace to put Pakistan under pressure—and that's exactly what Shanto did, leading from the front with seven crisp boundaries.

Bangladesh's innings got off to a shaky start when veteran Mushfiqur Rahim fell early to Hasan Ali's bowling. But Shanto held firm at the crease, anchoring the innings before being trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who finished with figures of 3-76. The captain's dismissal brought a brief moment of relief for Pakistan, but Bangladesh wasn't done yet.

Mehidy Hasan played a crucial cameo of 24 runs at nearly a run-a-ball, pushing the lead past the 250-run mark. Hasan Ali (3-52) struck again to have Taskin Ahmed caught by Imam-ul-Haq, prompting Bangladesh to declare with 76 overs remaining in the day.

Pakistan's chase got off to a rocky start when Taskin Ahmed struck early, dismissing opener Imam-ul-Haq for just 2 runs. At lunch, Pakistan reached 6-1, with Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal unbeaten at the crease. The visitors now face a steep climb of 262 runs on a pitch that's starting to show signs of wear.

Earlier in the match, Bangladesh posted 413 in their first innings before bowling out Pakistan for 386, taking a slender 27-run lead. Offspinner Mehidy Hasan was the star with the ball, claiming five wickets to put Bangladesh in a commanding position.

With all results possible and 76 overs left, the final day promises to be a gripping contest between Bangladesh's bowling attack and Pakistan's batting lineup. Who will rise to the occasion?