Series sweep and more records in sight

With the series already in the bag, Bangladesh will vie to inflict a clean-sweep over Pakistan by winning the third and final T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur today and complete a few more feats in the process.

After a prolonged lean period, having won just three of 16 matches across formats from the start of the year till July 12, the Tigers have turned their fortunes around in the shortest format, securing back-to-back series wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan inside seven days.

Against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh bounced back from losing the first match and sealed the series 2-1. The Tigers carried that winning momentum into the home series against Pakistan that followed shortly after and have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead heading into the final match.

The eight-run win in the low-scoring thriller in the second T20I was Bangladesh's fourth straight win in the format. If they can win today, they will equal their best-ever winning streak in T20Is, which had come in 2023 when they whitewashed England 3-0 at home and followed it up with two consecutive wins over Ireland in Chattogram.

A win today will also earn Bangladesh their maiden series sweep over Pakistan in T20Is in a multi-match bilateral series.

The Tigers had handed Pakistan a 1-0 defeat in a one-off T20I back in 2015. However, they are yet to whitewash the Asian opponents in a multi-match series.

Bangladesh, overall, have six clean sweeps in multi-match T20I series, which have come against Ireland (2012), Zimbabwe (2020), UAE (2022), England (2023), Afghanistan (2023), and West Indies (2024).

However, the weather could end up playing spoilsport in the match, with some overnight showers and more rain throughout the day on the cards as per the weather forecast.

Rain has already played a part in the series as its constant presence has made the Mirpur pitch damp, making it more challenging than usual to bat on.

The Pakistan batters have especially struggled in these conditions, getting rolled over for just 110 in the first match and being 47-7 in 11.5 overs, chasing 134 in the second game.

From there, Faheem Ashraf's counterattacking 51 off 32 balls nearly snatched the game away from Bangladesh, as the equation was brought down to 28 off the last two overs.

Captain Litton Das made the brave call of giving the ball to leg-spinner Rishad Hossain for the penultimate over. The risk had almost cost Bangladesh dearly, as the wrist spinner leaked 15 runs off his first five deliveries before making up for it by bowling out Faheem in the sixth ball.

Defending 13, Mustafizur was struck for a four first up before getting Abbas Afridi caught at midwicket to complete the series win.

Winning a tight match like this was a "good sign", felt Jaker Ali, player-of-the-match of the second T20I for his 55 off 48 balls. "Yes, it was difficult [last two overs]. We were a little anxious. But we were ready for it, and determined to win… Such tough moments will come. Winning close matches is a good sign for a team. Winning such a match will give us confidence." he said at the post-match press conference.

Now, the Tigers will want to take this momentum and wrap up the series with yet another win, which would be a fitting reply to when they were whitewashed in a three-match series in their last tour of Pakistan in May-June this year.