BAN vs PAK | Bangladesh run riot in mystical Mirpur to bowl Pakistan out for 110 and take 1-0 lead

Gantavya Adukia

ByGantavya Adukia,SportsCafe Editor

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Bangladesh's three frontline pacers combined for six wickets against Pakistan in Mirpur to help set up a comfortable victory in the series opener

Bangladesh registered just their fourth T20I win over Pakistan with a seven-wicket triumph in the series opener, at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. The visitors kept losing wickets at regular intervals on a two-paced deck to fold out for 110, before conceding the target in just 15.3 overs.

‌‌‌Pakistan's commitment to play a brand of aggressive cricket under a new leadership core was evident straightaway on Sunday when Fakhar Zaman charged down the track against Mahedi Hasan on the second ball of the match to earn four runs. The same approach had him float a catch to Taskin Ahmed at short fine leg two deliveries later, only for the veteran to drop a sitter. Nevertheless, the right-arm quick made up for it when Saim Ayub holed out at deep fine leg in Taskin's first over before Mahedi opened his account too by dispatching Mohammad Haris immediately after the youngster had struck a boundary. Unfettered by the setbacks, Zaman kept motoring along at the other end and had already hit five boundaries by the end of the fourth over to make the score read 38/1 when Tanzim Hasan Sakib came into the attack. The swing bowler caught Salman Agha Ali's leading edge immediately to concede two runs before four gorgeous dots culminated in the skipper innocously scooping a delivery straight to the keeper. Hasan Nawaz added to the visitors' misery by lasting just four balls until his wide hoick ended up in third man's hand, before Mohammad Nawaz sought a run where there was none and was promptly run-out to suddenly leave Pakistan reeling at 46/5. Fakhar tried to ease some pressure by going after Mahedi in the 10th over and struck a ball straight at him but the spinner failed to hold on, a mistake that cost him 12 runs in the over. However, the opener's luck finally ran-out when another miscommunication in the 12th over had him run-out after a crucial 44 off 34 deliveries, leaving Khushdil Shah as the only recognized batter at the crease. The all-rounder scraped for momentum through his 23-ball stay for 17 but none ever arrived, albeit Abbas Afridi allayed some nerves with three stunning maximums during their stand to take Pakistan past 100. Even so, an unplayable spell by Mustafizur Rahman at the death saw him finish with a dreamy 2/6 from four overs, and helped bowl out the Men in Green for 110 with three balls to spare.

Bangladesh's chase got off to an ominous start when debutant Salman Mirza struck out the destructive Tanzid Hasan for a solitary run in the first over and then had Litton Das edge to the slip cordon in his following effort. However, Parvez Hossain Emon and Towhid Hridoy showed their rivals how to keep the tempo up without risking much as they combined for four sixes in quick succession to take the team through the powerplay at 38/2, albeit strike rotation remained an issue. Once the field spread, the duo decided to temper their approach a bit and the partnership ticked further even more smoothly alongwith the occasional boundary. The team surpassed the 50-over mark in the eighth over, while the stand's half-century came off 35 deliveries shortly after with a cheeky boundary against Abrar Ahmed. Haris dropped a difficult chance just two deliveries later to hand Hridoy a reprieve as the Tigers reached the halfway stage at 64/2, 47 runs away from victory. Parvez decided to get a move on thereafter with a six each in the next two overs, and even though Afridi managed to break the 73-run stand by dispatching Towhid for a 37-ball 36 in the 13th over, it was far too late for a comeback. The incoming batter Jaker Ali only spurred on the scoring rates, getting started early with a boundary off his first ball. He added another in the next over, inspiring Parvez to smash a six and two consecutive fours to bring up a 34-ball fifty in style. Haris dropped a sitter in the 16th over wtih five runs needed for victory, to which Jaker responded with a boundary two balls later to seal itory with 27 balls to spare.

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