Pakistan continues their winning spree against Bangladesh with a superb 57-run win over the second T20 international played at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. This victory earned them a 2-0 victory in the three match series. The game largely showcased the brilliance of the Pakistani players. Top-scorer Sahibzada Farhan and debutant bowler Abrar Ahmed were the stars of the match.
Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. Their mammoth haul of 201 came at the cost of just six wickets, making them a very challenging opponent to beat. The star of the show was Sahibzada Farhan who scored 74 runs in just 43 balls. His impactful innings comprised six sixes and four fours, pushing the team to its highest score of the season. Hard-hitting Hasan Nawaz has been a revelation with the bat, too, cracking two explosive tons of 99 and 113 balls. He ended up with a fantastic 51* off 26 balls.
The Bangladesh team, now eyeing an upset over Koppen, got off to a great start, moving to 44 without loss after 4 overs. An unexpected collapse hit the team when Shoriful Islam got injured on the first ball of the match. They soon lost their impetus and were unable to regain it. The act drastically altered the playing field. Litton Das addressed the impact of Shoriful’s injury on the huge swing of momentum.
Abrar Ahmed, who made a dream debut in Multan, was Pakistan’s bowling hero, taking three for 19 in his four overs. His new-ball off-break spin was the key to stopping Bangladesh from scoring runs so easily. Faheem Ashraf in particular was a bringer of chaos to the Pakistani bowling line that bent but wouldn’t break. He removed Tanzid Hasan, who scored 33 runs in just 19 balls.
Tanzim Hasan impressed, scoring an aggressive 50 off just 31 deliveries. Bangladesh struggled to keep up the charge and wrapped up their innings for just 144 runs. This crushing defeat would be their second in the closely fought Commonwealth tourney series, cementing Pakistan’s consistent power play.
Sahibzada Farhan’s all-round performance saw him named the Player of the Match. He expressed his delight after the game, stating, “It feels very good … I didn’t know it was three and a half years,” referring to his absence from the national team.
Salman Agha, another key player for Pakistan, praised the team’s overall performance: “It was a complete performance, and that is way better than anything else.” He added that “everyone is loving the team environment where everyone can come and enjoy playing for Pakistan,” reflecting the positive atmosphere within the squad.
