Pakistan’s star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi marked the birth of his first child with a special on-field celebration during the opening Test against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Shaheen and his wife Ansha recently welcomed their son, Ali Yar, and the pacer commemorated the occasion with a unique gesture after taking a wicket.

Known for his typically reserved wicket celebrations, where he raises his arms in triumph, Shaheen opted for a heartfelt cradling motion after dismissing Hasan Mahmud, symbolising the joy of becoming a father. Hasan, attempting a shot towards the on-side, only managed to edge the ball, resulting in a simple catch for Mohammad Rizwan.

Watch Shaheen's heartfelt celebration here:

Shaheen’s contribution to the match extended beyond this moment, too. He later claimed the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, closing his bowling figures at 30-3-88-2.

Despite initial expectations that Shaheen might miss the Test series – something even red-ball coach Jason Gillespie hinted at – the speedster chose to take to the field.

Earlier in the day, former Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim produced a brilliant performance as he notched up 191, leading his team to a commanding position in the first Test against Pakistan on Saturday. His marathon innings, spanning over eight and a half hours, was bolstered by a record-breaking partnership with Mehidy Hasan, effectively blunting Pakistan’s formidable pace attack.

This knock marked Mushfiqur's 11th Test century and his first against Pakistan. His efforts were instrumental in propelling Bangladesh to a formidable total of 565 all out on the fourth day, marking their third-highest total in an away Test match. Pakistan’s strategy of deploying four fast bowlers on a green-tinged pitch ultimately backfired, as the surface became increasingly favorable for batting.

In response to Bangladesh’s imposing total, Pakistan, who had earlier declared their first innings at 448-6, faced an early setback. They ended the day at 23-1, trailing by 94 runs.