Pakistan beat Bangladesh by eight wickets in the second T-20 cricket match of three match series at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.
Fakhar hit 57 off 51 balls and put on 85 runs with Mohammad Rizwan (39) for the second wicket, guiding Pakistan to 109-2 in 18.1 overs. Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan earlier claimed two wickets each to help the visitors restrict struggling Bangladesh to 108-7 after the home side opted to bat first.
Fakhar and opener Mohammad Rizwan put on 85-run which was key in overhauling Bangladesh’s paltry 108-7 with 11 balls to spare. Rizwan scored a patient 39 off 45 with four boundaries.
Fakhar Zaman was watchful after captain Babar Azam (5) dragged fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman delivery on to his stump in the third over, similar to his dismissal in the first match.
He paced the innings, especially after being reprieved on 26 when Saif Hasan put down his catch in deep midwicket off legspinner Aminul Islam.
Rizwan also got a life when Taskin dropped him at short fine leg on 38 off again Aminul Islam bowling but that drop was not costly as the bowler dismissed him two balls later.
Fakhar Zaman brought up his seventh half-century off 40 balls and then finished the game off by his own.
Mustafizur, who left the field after bowling 2.1 overs and Aminul Islam Biplob took the fallen two wickets of Pakistan.
“The series win is a team effort,” said Babar. “The boys responded well as a unit and we carried forward the momentum” from the World Cup.
Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad rued their batting towards the end of their innings.
“I and Shanto (Najmul) were trying to get a partnership but we couldn’t capitalise in the end overs. For a team like us, we need a set batter to be there at the end but it didn’t happen today,” he said.
Coming off a four-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the first match, Bangladesh were aiming to level the series but the intent was nowhere seen after captain Mahmudullah won the toss for the consecutive second time and decided to bat first.
Pakistan dominated the match right from the start after dismissing both Bangladeshi openers in the first two overs.
Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored the side with 40 off 34, hitting five boundaries while Afif was the other notable scorer with 20.
Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi who came back to the side, replacing Hasan Ali, broke through to continue his romance with ‘first over wicket’ as he had Saif Hassan leg-before for duck in the fifth ball of the innings.
On field umpire though ruled ‘not out’ Shaheen overturned the decision with a review. His opening partner Naim Sheikh could score just 2 before edging to first slip off pacer Mohammad Wasim.
Afif flicked Afridi to hit six over backward square in the first ball he faced but needed a medical attention in the next ball when the bowler who thought Afif left the crease threw directly to hit him on the back of his foot.
Afif recovered to resume the game and cut Mohammad Wasim past point for four as Bangladesh looked to regain the control.
At the other end, Najmul Hossain Shanto recovered from his shaky start to take the Pakistani bowlers with disdain.
But leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who claimed 2-22 in economical bowling, denied Bangladesh keeping the nose in front.
Bangladeshi batters helped his cause with Afif, after scoring 20, trying a reverse paddle which cost his wicket. Shadab then struck in crucial moment as Shanto who looked in complete control, chipped a delivery in the air and Shadab dived his left to take an excellent catch.
In between Haris Rauf extended Mahmudullah Riyad’s lean batting, undoing him with a back of length delivery that the captain edged to the wicket-keeper for 12.
Shaheen Afridi and Wasim then came back to their second spell to torment Bangladesh further and prevented them from to pull off any blitz at the death overs.
Afridi also ended up with 2-15 in his four overs quota while Wasim, Nawaz and Rauf picked up one wicket apiece.
Pakistan won the first match of the series by four wickets on Friday.
The third and final match of the series will be held on the same ground on Monday.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 108 for 7 (Shanto 40, Afif 20, Afridi 2-15, Shadab 2-22)
Pakistan 109 for 2 (Fakhar 57*, Rizwan 39)
