Mirpur: Mas Sadaq backed up his impressive half-century with an economical 3/23 as Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 128 runs in the rain-affected second ODI of the three-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Chasing a revised target of 243 runs in 32 overs, the home team could only muster 114 runs in 23.3 overs.
Chasing 275 in the opening 50 overs, the hosts began to unravel as they lost three wickets for 15 runs in five overs.
Liton Das and Dawhid Hridoi took Bangladesh’s total to 27/3 in 6.3 overs before rain interrupted and action was halted for more than two hours.
Following the restart, Das and Hridoi launched a brief counter-attack on the Pakistan bowlers, scoring 58 runs off 47 balls, with Sadaqat ending the threatening partnership by dismissing the former.
He was Bangladesh’s top scorer with 41 off 33 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes.
His dismissal sparked a collapse in which Bangladesh lost four wickets at an alarming rate, including that of set-batter Hiridoi (28), as they slumped to 103/8 in 19.4 overs.
Haris Rauf then wiped out Bangladesh’s toothless batting tail to seal a comprehensive victory for the Green Shirts.
Pakistan’s bowling saw Shadaqat and Rauf combine for three wickets each, followed by captain Shaheen Shah Afridi with two wickets and Mohammad Wasim Jr and Faheem Ashraf with one each.
Bangladesh opener Mehdi Hasan Miraz’s decision backfired as the tourists were bowled out for 274 in 47.3 overs.
Pakistan’s innings got off to a flying start as openers Sahibzada Farhan and Maas put on 103 off 77 balls.
Captain Miraz gave Bangladesh the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Pakistan’s top-scorer Mas with a 46-ball 75 with 6 fours and 5 sixes.
Farhan and top-order batsman Shamil Hussain fell to Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana respectively as Pakistan lost two wickets in quick succession.
Following back-to-back strikes, Agha joined wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan in the middle and the duo put on a 109-run partnership for the fourth wicket to put Pakistan back in a commanding position.
This hundred-plus stand had a strange ending as Agha was run out by Bangladesh captain Miraz, who helped the ball stand outside the crease at the non-striker’s end.
Agha returned in disgust after scoring 64 off 62 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes.
In the same over, Rizwan was the notable run scorer for the Green Shirts with 44 off 59 balls.
His dismissal sparked a stunning collapse as Pakistan fell short of 300 with the loss of five remaining wickets for 43 runs.
Rishad Hossain bagged three wickets for Bangladesh, Miraz bagged two wickets and Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed bagged one each.