T20: Pak beat Bangladesh in low-scoring thriller

After a very poor start to the innings, Fakhar and Khushdil’s stand and Nawaz and Shadab’s hard-hitting in the end, gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the 3 match series. 

Pakistan is a team that is capable of making easy chases very tough and once again they did the same.

Pakistan made mess of the 128-run chase and at one stage, Bangladesh was looking like the favorites to win the game. 

After deciding to bat first, Bangladesh struggled against the Pakistani bowlers.

Bangladesh lost 3 wickets in the Powerplay and they scored just 40 runs with the loss of wickets at the end of 10 overs.

Pakistani bowlers bowled a great line and length in the first 15 overs and didn’t allow any batter to free his arms in the first 15 overs.

Bangladesh’s lower-order shines

The lower order of Bangladesh batted nicely against the Pakistani bowlers.

Mahedi and Nurul smashed the bowlers in the death overs.

Mahedi scored 30 runs off just 20 balls smashing 2 sixes and 1 four, while Nurul scored 28 runs off 22 balls.

Bangladesh scored 87 runs off the final 10 overs and put up a respectable total on the board to give their bowlers something to bowl at.

Poor death bowling by Pakistan 

Pakistani bowlers were poor in the death overs leaking 61 runs off the final 6 overs.

Every Pakistani bowler bowled a bad last over of their spells.

The last overs of M. Nawaz, Shadab, M. Wasim, Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf went for 15, 13, 12, 11, and 15 respectively.

It means that these five bowlers who allowed only 61 in their first three overs collectively gave away 66 in their fourth overs.

Worst start by Pakistan 

Pakistan started very badly as their main batters, M. Rizwan and Babar Azam were dismissed very early in the innings.

It was a rare instance when both Babar and Rizwan were dismissed within the Powerplay.

But the situation went from bad to worst when Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik were dismissed without troubling the scores.

Pakistan was struggling at 24-4 at the end of Powerplay. 

Fakhar and khushdil’s match-winning stand

Fakhar and Khushdil rescued the innings.

Both of them started a bit slowly due the to situation but they recovered well and put Pakistan back into the game.

The 56 runs partnership between them helped the lower order to smash quick runs and get their side over the line.

Both Fakhar and Khushdil scored 34 runs each of 36 and 35 balls respectively. 

Shadab and Nawaz heroics

After the recovery made by Fakhar and Khushdil, Shadab Khan and M. Nawaz thrashed the bowlers in the final 3 overs when Pakistan needed 32 runs off 18 balls.

Shadab smashed a four and six on  the first 3 balls of Mustafizur’s over and ended the over scoring 15 runs from that over.

M Nawaz then  smashed two big sixes in the 19th over to put Pakistan in a commanding situation.

Shadab hit another six in the last over to get his side over the line.

Pakistan win this last over thriller match with 4 wickets in hand.

Pakistan now leads the series by 1-0 and they will be willing to win the next match to steal a series win in Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh    20 overs          127-7 

Afif          36 (34)                           Hasan       3-22                                                                                             Mahedi 30 (20)                           Wasim      2-24                                                                                                 Nurul      28 (22)                           Shadab     1-20

Pakistan      19.2 overs        132-6

Khushdil    34 (35)                        Taskin          2-31                                                                                            Fakhar       34 (36)                        Mahedi        1-17                                                                                              Shadab      21 (10)                        Mustafizur  1-26