Pakistan pacers stole the show once again in Asia Cup 2023 as they made batters dance to their tunes. After causing a top-order collapse, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim’s half-centuries could not help Bangladesh post a fighting total. Then Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan’s half-centuries helped Pakistan chase down the target of 194 with seven wickets in hand and 10.3 overs to spare.
Floodlight malfunction interrupts play
In the run chase, Fakhar Zaman started off with two boundaries off Taskin Ahmed in the first over. Imam-ul-Haq was more cautious in the initial overs. After the fifth over, one of the floodlights malfunctioned and the game was stopped for more than 20 minutes. After the play resumed, Taskin took a beating from Imam-ul-Haq who hit him for three fours in an over. Shoriful Islam got the breakthrough for Bangladesh with the wicket of Zaman in the 10th over. He scored 20 runs from 31 balls.
Babar’s unlucky dismissal
Skipper Azam took his time after arriving at the crease. Imam took on Hasan Mahmud and hit the first six of the innings. In the 16th over, Taskin's delivery kept low and Azam underedged it onto his stumps. He scored 17 runs from 22 balls. Rizwan in the next over got off the mark with a six off Mahmud. Imam reached his half-century with a six off Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the 25th over. He took 61 deliveries to reach the milestone.
Imam, Rizwan hit fifties
Imam hit a couple of more sixes in the next few overs. Mehidy broke the partnership with the wicket of the opener. He got bowled in an attempt to play a sweep shot. The southpaw scored 78 runs from 84 balls including five fours and four sixes. In the 37th over, Rizwan reached his half-century from 71 deliveries. Agha Salman played with patience on the other end. In the 40th over, Salman reverse-swept Shakib for a boundary to finish the run chase. Pakistan won the game with seven wickets in hand and 63 balls to spare. The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten for 63 off 79 balls including seven fours and a six.
Pacers get the new ball talking
Earlier, Shakib won the toss and opted to bat first. Naseem Shah struck with the first ball to get rid of Mehidy. Litton Das was the second to fall. He poked at a delivery from Shaheen Afridi away from the stumps and got out caught behind. Mohammad Naim once again failed to convert a decent start. Haris Rauf took his catch off his own bowling in the eighth over. In his next over, the ball crashed into stumps as Towhid Hridoy could not cope with the pace. Bangladesh were reduced to 47/4 in the 10th over.
Shakib, Rahim’s rescue act
Shakib got dropped off Naseem's bowling when he was batting on 32. He went on to score a half-century. However, he could not carry on and lost his wicket to Faheem Ashraf, the pacer who replaced Mohammad Nawaz. The skipper scored 53 runs from 57 balls including seven fours. He shared a 108-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Rahim. In the same over, Rahim got to his half-century from 71 balls.
Bangladesh suffer another collapse
Shamim Hossain's short stay at the crease featured a six off Afridi. He got out to Iftikhar Ahmed playing an unnecessary shot. Rauf came back into the attack and got the big wicket of Rahim. He scored 64 runs from 87 balls including five fours. He got Taskin out for a golden duck next ball. In the next over, Naseem wrapped up Bangladesh's innings with the wickets of Afif Hossain and Islam. Bangladesh got bowled out for 193 from 38.4 overs.
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