Pakistan outclass Bangladesh by 57 runs to seal T20I series

LAHORE: A powerful batting display from Sahibzada Farhan and Hasan Nawaz, coupled with a clinical bowling performance, helped Pakistan seal the T20I series with a resounding 57-run victory over Bangladesh in the second match at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

The dominant victory gave the home side an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the final match scheduled to be played at the same venue on Sunday.

Chasing a daunting 202-run target, the touring side could muster 144 before being bowled out in 19 overs.

Bangladesh, however, had a blazing start to the pursuit as they were 38/0 in three overs with Tanzid Hasan going after the home-side bowlers.

The green shirts got the much-needed breakthrough in the fourth over through Haris Rauf, who dismissed Parvez Hossain Emon on eight.

Tanzid, who was the core aggressor of the opening stand, followed suit in the next over when he handed a straightforward catch to Abrar Ahmed at the short fine-leg off Faheem Ashraf.

The opening batter remained a notable run-getter for Bangladesh with a brisk 33 off 19 deliveries, featuring five fours and a six.

His dismissal sparked a match-defining collapse, which saw Bangladesh lose five more wickets at an alarming rate and consequently slip to 77/7 in 9.5 overs.

Meanwhile, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who stood firm at one end during the collapse, knitted a defiant 33-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Tanzim Hasan Sakib until eventually falling victim to Khushdil Shah in the 14th over after scoring 23 off 17.

Sakib, on the other hand, continued to retaliate and registered his maiden half-century before being caught behind by Saim Ayub.

He remained the top-scorer for Bangladesh with a 31-ball 50, laced with one four and five sixes.

Abrar Ahmed was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking three wickets for 19 runs in his four overs, while Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah and Ayub chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Earlier, Opener Sahibzada Farhan smashed a career best half century to lift Pakistan to 201-6.

Pakistan posted a consecutive 200-plus total with Farhan cracking a 41-ball 74, Hasan Nawaz an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls and Mohammad Haris 41 off 25 balls after the home team won the toss and batted.

After losing fellow opener Saim Ayub to a run out for four, Farhan put the innings on a solid footing with a 103-run second wicket stand of 54 balls with Haris.

The Farhan-Haris duo smashed Bangladesh bowlers to all corners, with Farhan hitting six sixes and four boundaries while Haris´s knock had two sixes and four boundaries.

Farhan was finally caught by Litton Das off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain in the 12th over. His previous best of 39 was against Australia in Dubai in 2018.

Nawaz gave a final polish to the innings by hitting three sixes and two boundaries as Pakistan added 40 in the last five overs.

Skipper Salman Agha fell for 19 and Shadab Khan made seven.

For Bangladesh Tanzim Hasan finished with 2-36 and Hasan Mahmud took 2-47.

Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match by 37 runs at the same venue. The final match is on Sunday, also in Lahore.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed.

Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Litton Das (c), Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Jaker Ali (wk), Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam.

This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.