LAHORE: Recalled Shoaib Malik smashed a solid half-century to anchor Pakistan’s five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first Twenty20 International in Lahore on Friday.
Malik scored a 45-ball 58 not out for his eighth T20 fifty as Pakistan overhauled a modest 142-run target in 19.3 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Bangladesh had managed 141-5 in their 20 overs with openers Mohammad Naim scoring a 41-ball 43 and Tamim Iqbal hitting a 34-ball 39 as Pakistan’s three-man pace attack kept them in check on a flat Gaddafi Stadium pitch.
The win further consolidated Pakistan’s chances of hanging on to their world number one ranking in the shortest format. If they lose any of the remaining matches — on Saturday and Monday, also in Lahore, Australia will replace them at the top.
Lahore’s foggy weather prompted Pakistan Cricket Board to start the match at 2:00pm but it failed to attract more than 10,000 people in a capacity of 24,000 stadium.
Bangladesh could not put a reasonable fight as Pakistan won their first match after losing six of their last seven T20 matches with one washed out.
Malik, playing his first match since February last year, was in sublime form as he hit five boundaries and added 46 for the third wicket with debutant Ahsan Ali who made a 32-ball 36 with four boundaries.
But Pakistan’s chase was initially jolted when they lost world number one Twenty20 batsman Babar Azam on only the second ball into their innings, caught behind off an inside edge off fast bowler Shafiul Islam.
Shafiul was the best Bangladeshi bowler with 2-27. Another recalled batsman Mohammad Hafeez hit three crisp boundaries and was looking in good touch before he miscued a flick and was caught off Mustafizur Rahman for 17.
Malik and Ahsan took Pakistan to 81 and before Iftikhar Ahmed (16) added a further 36 for the fourth wicket but even the fall of Iftikhar and Imad Wasim (six) did not derail Pakistan.
Earlier, Bangladesh, who won the toss and opted to bat, were off to a good start as Tamim and Naim put on 70 for the opening wicket. Naim, fresh from his top score of 81 against India in November last year, cracked three boundaries and a six while Tamim had four boundaries and a six but Pakistan pulled the scoring rate between 12-15 overs which yielded just 21 runs. Tamim was run out in the 11th over while Naim holed out off spinner Shadab Khan in the 15th. Skipper Mahmudullah hit two boundaries in his 14-ball 19 not out.
Pakistan handed T20 debuts to opener Ahsan and pacer Haris Rauf.
Score Board
TOSS: BANGLADESH
BANGLADESH INNINGS
Tamim run out 39
Naim c Iftikhar b Shadab 43
Das run out 12
Mahmudullah not out 19
Afif b Haris 9
Soumya b Shaheen 7
Mithun not out 5
Extras (LB-3, W-4) 7
Total (5 wkts; 20 overs) 141
Did not bat: Aminul, Shafiul, Mustafizur, Al-Amin.
Fall of wickets: 1-71, 2-98, 3-98, 4-119, 5-128.
BOWLING: Imad 3-0-15-0 (1w), Shaheen 4-0-23-1, Hasnain 4-0-36-0, Haris 4-0-32-1 (1w), Malik 1-0-6-0, Shadab 4-0-26-1.
PAKISTAN INNINGS
Babar c Das b Shafiul 0
Ahsan c sub b Aminul 36
Hafeez c Islam b Rahman 17
Malik not out 58
Iftikhar c Das b Shafiul 16
Imad b Hossain 6
Rizwan not out 5
Extras (LB-1, W-3) 4
Total (5 wkts; 19.3 overs) 142
Did not bat: Shadab, Shaheen, Haris, Hasnain.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-35, 3-81, 4-117, 5-133.
BOWLING: Shafiul 4-0-27-2 (2w), Mustafizur 4-0-40-1 (1w), Al-Amin 4-0-18-1, Soumya 2.3-0-22-0, Aminul 4-0-28-1, Afif 1-0-6-0.
Match officials: Umpires: Ahsan Raza (PAK) and Shozain Raza (PAK); Tv umpire: Ahmed Shahab (PAK); Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).
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