Bangladesh take second T20I for first series win over Pakistan

DHAKA: Bangladesh survived a late onslaught by Faheem Ashraf and Ahmed Daniyal to pull off a narrow eight-run victory in the second T20I match on Tuesday, winning a first-ever series in the format against Pakistan.

Ashraf hit an aggressive 32-ball 51 while debutant Daniyal smashed an 11-ball 17 but holed out off the second ball of the final over as Pakistan were all out for 125 in their chase of 134 to win in Dhaka.

Pakistan lost opener Saim Ayub to a run out for one in the first over before Islam dismissed Fakhar Zaman (8) and Mohammad Haris (0) to hit Pakistan hard at the top.

Left-arm Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam picked up his best T20I figures of 3-17 on a slow-paced Mirpur pitch as Pakistan lost their first five wickets for just 15 runs by the fifth over.

Ashraf cracked four sixes and as many boundaries to raise hopes of a comeback win, but spinner Rishad Hossain bowled him in the penultimate over.

Ashraf and Abbas Afridi, who scored a 13-ball 19, had revived the innings from 47-7 with a 41-run stand, but Bangladesh had the last laugh.

Pakistan’s pacers Salman Mirza and debutant Ahmed Daniyal grabbed two wickets apiece to restrict Bangladesh to 133 all out.

Mirza finished with 2-17 and Daniyal took 2-23 after Pakistan won the toss and sent Bangladesh into bat on another slow-paced pitch.

Jaker Ali hit a fiery 48-ball 55 for his third T20I fifty, smashing five sixes and a boundary before holing out off the final delivery of the 20th over.

Fast bowler Abbas Afridi also grabbed 2-37.

Bangladesh had lost four wickets by sixth over for 28 before Jaker and Mahedi Hasan revived the innings with a 53-run stand for the fifth wicket. Mahedi scored a 25-ball 33 with two sixes and as many boundaries.

This was Bangladesh’s first T20I series win over Pakistan in four tries.

Bangladesh won the first match at the same venue by seven wickets and took an unassailable 2-0 lead with the final match on Thursday, also in Dhaka.

Earlier on Sunday, Bangladeshi opener Parvez Hossain Emon scored an unbeaten fifty as the hosts won the first Pakistan vs Bangladesh series by seven wickets in Mirpur.

Set to chase a 111-run target, Bangladesh won the game in 15.3 overs to go up 1-0 in the three-match T20I series.

Parvez Hossain Emon hit a quickfire 56 off 39 balls to help his side to a comfortable win despite Pakistan pacer Salman Mirza’s early twin strikes.

Fakhar Zaman top-scored with 44 as Pakistan were bowled out for 110 in the first game of the Pakistan vs Bangladesh T20I series.