Pakistan complete clean sweep of Bangladesh
Bangladesh tasted a whitewash in three-match T20 International series for the first time when Pakistan clinched the third and final match by five wickets after a last over drama at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium here today.
Pakistan earlier won the first game by four wickets before easing past the hosts by eight wickets in the second game.
A whitewash was on the cards when Bangladesh limped to 124-7 after opting to bat first. But a slow approach saw Pakistan required eight runs in the last over and then a drama unfolded with Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad taking three wickets to set a nervy end of the game.
Mahmudullah’s first ball was dot before he got the wicket of set batters duo Sarafaraz Ahmed and Haider Ali in consecutive deliveries. Iftikhar Ahmed smashed a huge six in the fourth ball but Bangladesh again sensed a victory when Iftikhar went for a glory shot, only to end up slicing it to backward point. Two runs needed off the last ball as the tension rose. Tension got the better of both Mahmudullah and batter Mohammad Nawaz.
But Nawaz overcame the nerve-wrecking moment in style to club a boundary through extra cover to help Pakistan win the thriller.
The defeat extended Bangladesh’s current losing streak to eight, the joint second highest in their history. But it’s first time, Bangladesh lost so many matches in a row in a year in this format.
Pakistan, who came up into the side with four changes, made a slow start to the chase with openers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam hardly going to for a big hit in the first powerplay.
Legspinner Aminul Islam Biplob dismissed Babar for 19 off 25 after he tried to pace the innings.
Rizwan and Haider Ali then added 51-run for the second wicket to take the side on the verge of the victory.
Shohidul Islam removed Rizwan for his debut wicket on 40 after which Haider and Sarfaraz, playing his first match in the tour, seemed to sail the home with ease.
But the last over drama made the easy victory a hard-fought one as Pakistan got to 127-5. Haider Ali was the top-scorer with 45 off 33, hitting three fours and two sixes.
In a bid to avoid the whitewash, Bangladesh’s intent was questionable as they came up with yet another mediocre batting show to be restricted to a total, that was below par.
Opener Naim Sheikh was the top-scorer for the side with 47 off 50, hitting two fours and as many sixes while Shamim Patwari scored 22. Afif Hossain added 20.
Debutant pacer Shahnawaz Dahani, legspinner Usman Qadir and fast bowler Mohammad Wasim scalped two wickets apiece to play key role in restricting Bangladesh to a paltry total.
Bangladesh made three changes to the side including a debut to pacer Shohidul Islam. Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed and Shamim Patwari also were drafted in as the home side left out Saif Hassan, Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam.
But Bangladesh again made a disastrous start after opting to bat first as Najmul Hossain Shanto, who opened the innings, was out for 5. Dahani dismissed him for his debut wicket in his first over in the International cricket.
Shamim Hossain, one of the three changes by Bangladesh was promoted to No. 3 position and looked to stabilize the innings with Naim. But he failed to carry the start before Usamn Qadir removed him.
With Naim playing patiently to keep one end intact, Afif struck two sixes, indicating a good day for Bangladesh. It was not to be as Usman Qadir again struck to take his wicket.
Pakistan bowlers bowled well in tandem to stem the run flow but Naim helped Bangladesh get past 100, before being out in the penultimate over.
BSS
