Pakistan Beat Bangladesh, by 37 Runs, in the First T20I to go 1-0 up in Lahore

By Shah Faisal
 

Pakistan kicked off their T20I series against Bangladesh with a commanding 37-run victory at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, going 1-0 up in the three-match series. The stars of the evening were Salman Ali Agha, who led with the bat, and Hasan Ali, who marked his return with a career-best T20I performance of 5 for 30. 

Toss and Teams 

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. 

Pakistan XI: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Hassan Ali, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
Bangladesh XI: Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Litton Das (capt), Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Jaker Ali (wk), Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam 

Pakistan Innings: Shaky Start, Explosive Finish 

Opening with Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan suffered an early jolt, losing both openers with just five runs on the board. Saim top-edged an off-spinner, and Fakhar was trapped LBW. 

Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Haris then steadied the innings with a mix of aggression and smart rotation. Haris took the attack to the bowlers and pushed Pakistan to 52/2 by the end of the powerplay. However, his counterattack was cut short when he miscued a pull shot off Tanzim Hasan Sakib. 

Enter Hasan Nawaz, who, alongside Salman, formed a dynamic middle-overs partnership. Salman anchored while Hasan provided the fireworks. The duo added 50 quick runs, with Salman reaching his maiden T20I fifty, showcasing composure against the spinners. Hasan, too, impressed with his Strokeplay but fell for 44 off 22 balls just short of a well-deserved half-century. 

Bangladesh pulled things back slightly, removing Salman (56) and Hasan Nawaz in quick succession. Khushdil Shah was stumped shortly after but then came Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf who lifted the innings in the death overs. 

With spinners operating at the back end, Pakistan capitalized. Four consecutive boundaries were struck, and 43 runs came in the last 3 overs. Shadab (48)* and Faheem’s late flourish ensured Pakistan posted a strong total of 201/7. 

Bangladesh Innings: Stable Start, But No Finish 

Bangladesh began their chase with Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan. Hasan Ali struck early to remove Emon, but Tanzid fought back with 31 off just 17 balls, including three sixes. A clever knuckleball from Hasan Ali, however, ended his stay as Bangladesh reached 45/2 after six overs. 

Towhid Hridoy and Litton Das then looked to rebuild. Litton was especially proactive, hitting two sixes off Haris Rauf. The pair added 50 runs in 40 balls, giving Bangladesh a chance to stay in the game. But just as Litton neared his fifty, he fell to Shadab Khan, attempting one shot too many through point. He scored 48 off 30 — the highest for Bangladesh. 

The dismissal of Litton triggered a collapse. In quick succession, Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, and Rishad Hossain fell, undoing Bangladesh’s middle-order stability. At the 15-over mark, Bangladesh were 123/5 and needed 79 runs off the final 30 balls — a tough ask. 

Jaker Ali attempted to cut loose, but Hasan Ali returned to complete a dream comeback spell. He removed Jaker and completed his first five-wicket haul in T20Is, finishing with 5 for 30. Bangladesh ultimately folded for 164, falling 37 runs short. While Litton Das fought valiantly, no other batter offered sustained resistance. 

It was a convincing all-round performance by Pakistan. Salman Ali Agha’s composed 56, explosive contributions from Hasan Nawaz and Shadab, and Hasan Ali’s match-winning 5-wicket haul sealed a comprehensive win for the home side. Pakistan now lead the series 1-0 with two matches to play.  Shadab Khan got man of the match for his 48 runs, 2 wickets and two catches- a perfect all-rounder effort.