Malik's Unbeaten Half-Century Seal Win In 1st T20I As Bangladesh Defeated By 5 Wickets

[-LucIfeR-]

                   

The first T20I between Pakistan and Bangladesh is underway at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore after the Tigers won the toss and opted to bat first.

Pakistan's run chase went off to a problematic start as star batsman Babar Azam fell  for a duck. 

Mohammad Hafeez, back playing for Pakistan for the first time since the World Cup last year, joined Ahsan Ali in the middle.

The veteran was off to a good start as he effortlessly found some boundaries that eased off some pressure. And as has been his hallmark throughout his career, he perished after so much promise. His 16-ball 17 was neither here nor there. 

At the end of the 5th over, Pakistan were 35-2 and in need of a partnership. The partnership did come but courtesy the other returning veteran in the side, Shoaib Malik, and Ahsan.

Malik rotated the strike, something on which he has built his long career, as Pakistan reached 68-2 at the end of 10 overs, needing a mere 74 off the remaining 60 balls.

Their 46-run stand came to an end in the 12th over when Ahsan tried to smack when out of the park but skied up. He scored 36 off 32 on debut.

Malik and new man Iftikhar Ahmed did not let the loss of wicket affect the proceedings as the two happily rotated the strike and brought the score to 106-3 at the end of 15 overs.

Bangladesh Innings
The Tigers started their innings confidently, not taking any risks but still finding a boundary here and there. Mohammad Naim, the 19-year-old opener, was the more prominent of the two Bangladeshi openers through the first five overs. At this stage, the visitors were 29-0.

Haris, the Lahore Qalandars pacer and debutant, was introduced in the sixth over amid loud cheers. He generated decent pace but was hit for a four on the second ball of his T20I career by Tamim Iqbal.

Iqbal copped a nasty one trying to pull Mohammad Hasnain in the 7th over but executed the stroke with perfection the very next ball, and hitting a four as Bangladesh neared the 50-run mark.

At the halfway mark, the visitors were 62-0, hoping to accelerate in the second half of their innings courtesy the wickets in hand.

The opening breakthrough finally came in the 11th over when Tamim Iqbal fell short while trying to reach the crease. He contributed 39 off 34 balls.

With boundaries proving hard to come by, the Tigers took more risk than usual and lost Liton Das (12), also to a run-out. Shadab Khan had Naim (43 off 41) caught at long-on the very next ball as Bangladesh were pegged back significantly.

                         

 
Haris Rauf picks up his first T20I wicket. 
With just five overs left, Bangladesh had a mere 100 on board with seven wickets left.

Haris, the crowd favourite, picked up the first wicket of his T20I career in the 18th over, cleaning up Afif Hossain (9).

Afridi also got a wicket in similar fashion as Bangladesh, in the end, managed to post 141 runs for the loss of five Wickets