Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 7 wkts
Published: 06 September 2023, 10:58:16
Pakistan batter Imam-Ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan smashed fifties as Pakistan cruised to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Bangladesh while chasing a mere 193 in their Asia Cup Super Four encounter at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.
Opener Imam smashed five fours and four sixes for his 84-ball 78, while Rizwan saw his team through with an unbeaten 79-ball 63 laced with seven fours and a solitary six as Pakistan chased down the target with 63 balls remaining.
Bangladesh Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Mehedi Hasan Miraz picked up one wicket each.
Earlier, Bangladesh put out a dismal effort with the bat as they were bundled out for 193.
Having opted to bat first, the Bangladesh batters struggled to put the Pakistan pacers at bay as they were reduced to 47 for four before Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan and veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim put on a 100-run stand, with both the batter managing to reach their fifties.
The duo, however, gifted their wickets away, with Shakib being held out at deep square-leg off the bowling of pacer Faheem Ashraf after he scored 57-ball 53, while Mushfiqur, who managed an 87-ball 64, nicked one to the keeper in an attempt to take on Haris Rauf through the covers.
Shamim Hossain showed promise but he too didn’t forget to reward away his wicket to part-timer Iftikhar Ahmed. The left-handed batter did manage to hit Shaheen Shah Afridi for a six and tucked away a few singles as he appeared to grow in confidence but he failed to execute a swipe across the line and scooped it straight up for Imam Ul Haq to take the catch.
Afif Hossain’s miserable run continued as yet again the left-hander managed to fluff another opportunity with an underwhelming attempt of a shot. His dismal attempt of trying to pull a delivery that wasn’t there to be pulled became the cause for his demise in the 39th over after he managed an 11-ball 12.
Pakistan pacers as expected had a ball as they shared nine wickets between them, with Rauf scalping four, while Naseem Shah took three.
