LAHORE - Number one T20 side, Pakistan, sealed series 2-0 after thumping Bangladesh by 9 wickets in the second T20I played here at historic Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Although Pakistan lost the quick wicket in the second over, when Ahsan Ali was sent packing by Shafiul Islam yet captain Babar Azam and experienced Muhammad Hafeez kept the Bengal Tigers at the bay and landed their side home safely in the 17th over. Babar played the captain’s knock by smashing superb 66 runs off 44 balls, which included seven boundaries and one six.
Hafeez innings was also treat to watch as though he failed to impress in the first T20 yet he made his presence felt in the second one and played an inspiring innings and cracked classic 67 runs off 49 balls, studded with nine boundaries and one smashing six. Bangladesh key bowlers kept on struggling and they had to use their part-timers for a breakthrough, but they also failed to achieve the desired results. For his impressive knock, skipper Babar Azam was declared man of the match.
Earlier, Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah won the toss and elected to bat first. But it were Pakistani bowlers, who were in great form and bowled brilliantly, which helped the home side restrict Bangladesh to 136 for 6 in 20 overs.
Experienced Tamim Iqbal was the only batsman from the visiting side, who showed some resistance and played Pakistani bowlers with great authority. He played 53 balls to gather gallant 65 runs which included seven fours and one six. No other Bangladeshi batsmen could show resistance to the home bowlers and kept on losing their wickets cheaply. Besides Tamim, Asif Hossain (24) and captain Mahmudullah (12) were the other batsmen, who could cross the double figures.
Mohammad Naim, who one of the key batsmen of Bangladesh team against India, was the first victim of home side, who was shown the pavilion by Shaheen Shah Afridi in the second over at the total of 5-1. Mahedi Hasan followed Naim at his individual score of 9 as Bangladesh team was struggling at 22-2 in 4.2 overs.
The hosts bowlers kept on putting pressure on the guests and not only bowled some outstanding deliveries, stopping them to score big but also kept on taking wickets on regular interval. They lost their third wicket for 41, fourth for 86, fifth for 117 and the sixth and last one for 126, as they managed to score 136 for 6 in the allotted 20 overs.
For Pakistan, Mohammad Hasnain was the pick of the bowlers as he bagged 2 wickets for 20 in four overs while Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan took one wicket apiece. The third and last Twenty20 International will be played tomorrow (Monday) at the Gaddafi Stadium.
SCORECARD
BANGLADESH:
Tamim Iqbal run out................................................65
M Naim c Rizwan b Shaheen Afridi..........................0
Mahedi Hasan c Rizwan b Hasnain.........................9
Liton Das lbw b Shadab Khan..................................8
Afif Hossain c Haris Rauf b Hasnain......................21
Mahmudullah b Haris Rauf....................................12
Soumya Sarkar not out.............................................5
Aminul Islam not out.................................................8
EXTRAS: (lb 2, nb 1, w 5)...........................................8
TOTAL: (6 wkts, 20 overs).....................................136
FOW: 1-5, 2-22, 3-41, 4-86, 5-117, 6-126.
BOWLING: Imad Wasim 2-0-16- 0, Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-0-22-1, M Hasnain 4-0-20-2, Haris Rauf 4-0-27-1, Shadab Khan 3-0-28-1, Shoaib Malik 2-0-9-0, Iftikhar Ahmed 1-0-12-0.
PAKISTAN:
Babar Azam not out................................................66
Ahsan Ali c Mahmudullah b Shafiul........................0
Mohammad Hafeez not out...................................67
EXTRAS: (lb 1, w 3).....................................................4
TOTAL: (1 wkt, 16.4 overs).....................................137
FOW: 1-6.
BOWLING: Mahedi Hasan 4-0-28-0, Shafiul Islam 3-0-27-1, Al-Amin Hossain 3-0-17-0, Mustafizur Rahman 3-0-29-0, Aminul Islam 2-0-16-0, Afif Hossain 1-0-16-0, Mahmudulla
