DHAKA (SNP Report): Pakistan ended their T20I tour of Bangladesh on a high note, securing a thumping 75-run victory in the third and final match of the series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday. Although Bangladesh had already clinched the three-match series 2-1, the visitors salvaged pride with a dominant all-round performance.
Put into bat first, Pakistan posted an imposing total of 178/7, built on the back of Sahibzada Farhan’s explosive return to the side. The right-handed opener smashed a 41-ball 63, studded with six fours and five sixes, and shared an 82-run opening stand with Saim Ayub, who chipped in with a 15-ball 21.
Pakistan’s momentum briefly dipped after the departure of both openers, but Hasan Nawaz reignited the charge with a blistering 33 off just 17 balls. Mohammad Nawaz provided the finishing touch with a powerful cameo of 27 off 16 deliveries, taking Pakistan close to the 180-mark. For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed led the bowling effort with 3/38, while Nasum Ahmed bagged 2/30.
In response, Bangladesh’s chase never took off. Left-arm pacer Salman Mirza tore through their top order with a fiery spell of 3/19, reducing the hosts to 45/5 within the powerplay. Apart from a lone resistance from Mohammad Saifuddin, who scored a fighting 35 off 34 balls, no batter offered substantial resistance.
The rest of the Bangladesh lineup crumbled under pressure, folding for 104 in just 16.3 overs, marking their third-lowest T20I total against Pakistan. Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz picked up two wickets apiece, while Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, and skipper Agha Salman each chipped in with one.
Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan captain said: “Really proud of the boys. We spoke about showing character regardless of the situation, and that’s exactly what we did. Farhan and Saim gave us a flying start, Hasan played a smart knock, and Nawaz finished brilliantly. Salman Mirza and Daniyal were outstanding with the ball.” Sahibzada Farhan, player of the match, said: “I am happy to contribute to the team’s win. I stuck to the plan, targeted the off-spin, and told Saim to relax, I’d take care of the power-hitting.”
Bangladesh captain Litton Das praised his side’s performance, saying: “The boys played some really good cricket throughout the series. The pitch looked quite good for batting, and we wanted to give our youngsters a chance while maintaining a positive mindset. I am proud of how they responded.” Player of the series Jaker Ali reflected on his success, said: “It was a great series for us. Everyone stepped up, and I just focused on playing my natural game. I’m happy to contribute to the team’s success.”
SCORES IN BRIEF: PAKISTAN 178 for 7 (Farhan 63, Hasan Nawaz 33, Taskin 3-38) beat BANGLADESH 104 (Saifuddin 35*, Mirza 3-19, Nawaz 2-4) by 74 runs.
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