The series win over Bangladesh is Pakistan’s first at home in three years
Mohammad Isam30-May-2025Pakistan won their first T20I series at home after three years when they beat Bangladesh by 57 runs in the second game in Lahore. Sahibzada Farhan and Hasan Nawaz struck fifties to set up Pakistan’s 201 for 6, before Abrar Ahmed’s three wickets sparked a collapse that saw Bangladesh go from 44 for 0 to 56 for 5 in three overs.Tanzim Hasan Sakib, in at No. 9, struck his maiden T20I fifty to finish as the innings’ top scorer for the visitors. He became the first batter to score a half-century from No. 9 or lower in T20Is for a Full Member nation. Tanzim’s 50 came off 31 balls, with five sixes, after he came to bat with the side reeling on 77 for 7 in the tenth over.It was Pakistan’s batting that was more entertaining, with Farhan hitting a superb 74 off 41 balls, that included six sixes. He added 103 runs for the second wicket with Mohammad Haris who made a 25-ball 41, before Nawaz struck the ball cleanly for his unbeaten 51.Farhan rides on PSL waveFarhan had a bit of luck in the first over when Tanzid Hasan couldn’t latch on to his top edge running back from cover. He would enjoy another piece of luck after he completed his first T20I fifty, but it was a memorable knock from the opener who had just top-scored with 449 runs at a strike rate of 152.20 in the PSL.Litton Das was part of a spectacular collapse•AFP/Getty Images
Pakistan also got some luck when left-arm quick Shoriful Islam left the field after bowling three balls with a groin injury. Farhan launched Mehidy Hasan Miraz for two successive sixes in the third over, before slamming Hasan Mahmud for two fours and a six in the following over. Another six came off Tanzim, before Haris struck Mahmud for three fours in a row in the sixth over. Their 67 runs in the powerplay equaled Pakistan’s highest in the powerplay against Bangladesh, from a game in Nairobi in 2007.Farhan struck two more sixes off Rishad, before Tanzim broke the 103-run second wicket stand. He removed Haris (41 off 25 balls) with a slower legcutter that he struck straight to point. Farhan was caught behind in the next over, when he under-edged Rishad, who was otherwise quite expensive.Bangladesh slow the tideBangladesh were in danger of conceding a big 200-plus score, especially seeing how Pakistan captain Salman Agha and Hasan kept finding the big hits after the two set batters fell in quick succession. Salman timed Rishad for two fours, before Nawaz managed to toe-end a six off Mehidy. He slammed Rishad for a four and six in the 14th over, but they relatively slowed down in the last five overs.Pakistan got only two fours and a six in this period. Mahmud yorked Salman who was trying to play a ramp shot, before Shadab fell trying to clear long-on. Nawaz got to his half-century in the last over, but Tanzim finished well with the wicket of Faheem Ashraf.Abrar Ahmed picked three quick wickets•Associated Press
Pakistan stave off quick startTanzid got Bangladesh off to a flyer with 17 runs from the first over of their 202-run chase. He struck Salman for two fours, before slamming him for a six over extra cover to end the over. Tanzid kept up the pressure against Hasan Ali who went for 15 in the second over, before striking Ashraf through point for another boundary.Haris Rauf struck back in his first over, removing Parvez Hossain Emon for 8. Hasan took a good catch tracking back from mid-on, as Parvez skied the ball quite high over his head. Ashraf then removed Tanzid with a half-tracker, which the left-hander just swung into short fine leg Abrar’s lap in the fifth over.The onus was on captain Litton Das to build on the rapid start but he first lost his cool at his batting partner Towhid Hridoy for refusing a single. Next ball, he toe-ended a pull straight to mid-on. Bangladesh had given away a good start, and it was about to get much worse.Abrar rips through middle-orderAbrar was struck for two sixes in his first over in the first T20I, but this was a different story. He spun one through Hridoy’s to trap him lbw for 5. Hridoy had a word with the umpire, but replays showed it was quite adjacent to the stumps. Abrar got another lbw decision next ball, a much easier one for the umpire, when Jaker Ali failed to read his googly. It was a rare failure for Jaker, who is Bangladesh’s form batter in the middle order.Shamim Hossain staved off the hat-trick ball but struck one down Saim Ayub’s throat at deep midwicket in Abrar’s next over. Rishad was gone next over, caught behind chasing a wide one from Shadab. From there, it was just about damage control for Bangladesh.