DHAKA (Kashmir English): In the opening match of the three-game T20I series, Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by seven wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the Pak vs Ban contest. The match was played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, where Bangladesh outperformed Pakistan in both bowling and batting.
Pakistan, batting first, could only manage 110 runs before being bowled out in just 19.3 overs. Apart from Fakhar Zaman’s 44, there was little resistance from the rest of the batting lineup. Khushdil Shah and Abbas Afridi chipped in with 17 and 22 respectively, but it wasn’t enough to post a competitive total.
Bangladesh’s bowlers dominated from the start. Taskin Ahmed starred with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 22 runs, while Mustafizur Rahman delivered a match-winning spell of 2 wickets for just 6 runs in four overs. Their combined effort dismantled Pakistan’s batting order and gave Bangladesh a comfortable target to chase.
In the second innings of this Pak vs Ban clash, Bangladesh lost a couple of early wickets, including Tanzid Hasan and captain Litton Das, but recovered quickly. Parvez Hossain Emon and Towhid Hridoy built a solid 73-run partnership, bringing stability to the chase.
Emon remained unbeaten on 56 off 39 balls and was named Player of the Match for his calm and calculated innings. Bangladesh successfully chased down the target with 27 balls to spare, making it one of their most dominant performances against Pakistan in recent memory.
The Pak vs Ban rivalry continues to grow, and this win has boosted Bangladesh’s confidence ahead of the next matches. Meanwhile, Pakistan will need to rework their strategies quickly if they hope to bounce back in the series.
The second match of the Pak vs Ban series, on 22nd July, will be crucial for both sides, Bangladesh to seal the series, and Pakistan to stay alive in it.
