Tender surrender as Tigers lose by 8 wickets
Pakistan have sealed the three-match T20 series against Bangladesh with an eight-wicket win in the second T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
Fakhar Zaman carried his good run of form and stitched a 85-run partnership with opener Mohammad Rizwan as the visitors comfortably sailed to victory with 11 balls to spare. Fakhar scored an unbeaten 57 off 51, laced with two fours and three sixes, while Rizwan yielded 39 off 45 deliveries.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Earlier, Mustafiz gave a glimmer of hope for the hosts when he dismissed Babar Azam early on, however, the left-armer had to walk off the field with a discomfort after bowling a single delivery in his third over.
Bangladesh's tendency to drop catches was on display yet again as Saif Hassan and Taskin Ahmed dropped easy pickings off the bowling of Aminul Islam which could have removed both Fakhar and Rizwan. However, the leg-spinner ended up dismissing Rizwan when Saif somewhat redeemed himself by taking a sitter.
In the first innings, Bangladesh reached their half-decent total of 108 by mainly riding on Najmul Hossain Shanto's 34-ball 40. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who did not feature in the last match, and Shadab Khan were the pick of the bowlers from the visitors.
The third and final game of the T20I series begins on November 22 at the same venue from 2 pm.
Pakistan easing towards target
Pakistan are firmly placed at 71 for one after 12 overs and require 38 runs off the final eight overs.
Opener Mohammad Rizwan has looked out of sorts so far, however, he is still at the crease on 34 runs off 38 deliveries, batting alongside Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan's joint-highest scorer of the first match, on 32 off 29 balls.
Leg-spinner Aminul Islam has bowled three overs so far, conceding 26 runs, and came tantalisingly close to taking the wicket of Fakhar but Saif Hassan ended up dropping the catch at deep-midwicket. Taskin Ahmed has bowled economically for the Tigers in his first spell of two overs, having given away only six runs.
Fizz knocks out Babar early
Bangladesh have struck an early blow as Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Pakistan skipper Babar Azam in the third over of the innings.
Babar dragged Mustafiz's out-swinger on to the stumps and departed after scoring 1 off five deliveries.
Bangladesh pacers -- Taskin Ahmed and Mustafiz -- are bowling well and extracting swing and bounce off the Mirpur pitch.
The visitors are placed at 15 for one after 4 overs of play with Mohammad Rizwan, who reached double figures, and Fakhar Zaman at the crease.
Tigers end up posting no more than 108
Pakistan restricted Bangladesh to a total of 108 for seven after 20 overs in the second T20I of a three-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan picked up two wickets apiece while the rest of the Men in Green, except for Shoaib Malik, each scalped a wicket. Afridi ended his spell with figures of two for 15 while Mohammad Wasim only conceded nine runs from his three overs.
Najmul Hossain Shanto stood out from the Bangladesh batters with his 34-ball 40 while Afif Hossain Dhrubo chipped in with 20 runs off 21 deliveries. Nurul Hasan Sohan and skipper Mahmudullah Riyad reached double figures for the Tigers.
It's a must-win game for the Tigers if they want to keep the series alive.
Launching pad ready as Tigers approach death overs
Two good partnerships of Najmul Hossain Shanto with Afif Hossain and Mahmudullah Riyad have given Bangladesh the opportunity to notch up a gear or two as their innings heads into the tail-end.
A seemingly in-form Afif got out on 21 in the 9th over through a soft dismissal as the left-hander, trying to reverse-paddle Shadab Khan in his second over, got a leading edge to the wicket-keeper and with it, a 46-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shanto ended. Skipper Riyad followed suit on similar terms in the 13th over as his attempt to guide Haris Rauf's delivery to the third-man area resulted to an edge to the wicket-keeper after scoring 12 off 15.
Shanto was the latest to be dismissed on 34-ball 40 and skipper Mahmudullah, who had overturned his dismissal with a review in the second delivery he faced, complemented his partner well during the brief period at the crease as the two yielded a 28-run partnership.
Nurul Hasan Sohan and Mahedi Hasan are at the crease as Bangladesh find themselves at 83 for five after 14 overs.
Afif, Shanto steady the ship
After an early setback with both openers dismissed cheaply for Bangladesh, Afif Hossain Dhrubo and Najmul Hossain Shanto stitched together a 31-run unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership by the end of Powerplay and in the process have managed to prevent a potential batting collapse.
Afif is on a run-a-ball 20 while Shanto has scored 23 off 19 as the Tigers stand at 47 for two after 8 overs of play. The batting duo has hit five boundaries among themselves so far.
Openers dismissed early as Tigers on familiar territory
Bangladesh lost both the openers early in the second T20I of a three-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
Pakistan's Shaheed Shah Afridi stamped his authority on his return to the side as the ace pace bowler's superb inswinger trapped Bangladesh's opener Saif Hassan in front for a golden duck before Naim Sheikh, attempting to play a shot on the up, got a leading edge to the first slip off Mohammad Wasim in the second over of the innings.
Afif Hossain and Najmul Hossain Shanto are at the crease for the Tigers as they are placed at 17 for two after 3 overs.
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