Bangladesh registered a commanding 7-wicket win over Pakistan in the opening match of the three-match T20I series at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur. With this victory, the hosts have taken a 1-0 lead in the series, continuing their winning streak from recent fixtures.
Chasing a modest target of 111, Bangladesh reached the mark in just 15.3 overs, ending at 112/3. Despite an early setback where debutant Salman Mirza dismissed both Tanzid Hasan and captain Litton Das in the first three overs, the Tigers quickly regained control.
Parvez Hossain Emon and Tawhid Hridoy formed a crucial 73-run partnership that laid the foundation for a comfortable victory. Emon remained unbeaten with a fluent knock that earned him the Player of the Match award.
Emon expressed satisfaction over his performance, noting that he and Hridoy aimed to stay positive and find boundaries consistently. Hridoy contributed a vital 36 runs, benefiting from a couple of dropped chances that proved costly for the visitors.
Earlier, Pakistan’s innings never took off as they were bowled out for just 110 in 19.3 overs. Fakhar Zaman was the lone bright spot with a gritty 44-run knock, but a mix-up led to his unfortunate run-out.
The rest of the top order failed to deliver, with only two batters among the top seven reaching double digits. A 33-run partnership between Khushdil Shah and Abbas Afridi added some respectability to the score.
Bangladesh’s bowlers put in an impressive shift, led by Mustafizur Rahman (2/6) and Taskin Ahmed, who collectively took five wickets. Their clever use of slower deliveries restricted Pakistan’s scoring opportunities and ensured regular breakthroughs.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha admitted his side fell short with the bat and will need to regroup quickly. He acknowledged the challenging pitch conditions in Bangladesh and emphasized the need to adapt better moving forward.
With two matches remaining in the series, both teams will return to action on Tuesday, July 22. Bangladesh will aim to seal the series, while Pakistan will be desperate to bounce back.