…Bangladesh fall away for 164 in pursuit of 202 in the first T20I in Lahore

HASAN Ali bagged career-best figures of 5 for 30 in his first T20I in a year and Shadab Khan produced a strong all-round performance as Pakistan eased past Bangladesh in the series opener in Lahore.
After captain Salman Agha, who top-scored for Pakistan with 56 off 34 balls, and Shadab, who scored 48 off 25 balls, lifted Pakistan to 201, Hasan led their successful defence with a five-wicket haul. After removing the Bangladesh openers with the new ball, he returned to dismiss the dangerous Jaker Ali, Tanzim Hasan and Shoriful Islam.

(Scores: Pakistan 201 for 7 (Salman 56, Shadab 48, Shoriful 2-32) beat Bangladesh 164 (Litton 48, Jaker 36, Hasan Ali 5-30) by 37 runs)
Litton Das top-scored for Bangladesh with 48 and Jaker hit 36 off 21 balls lower down the order, but it was not enough to stop Pakistan from claiming a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Bangladesh rock Pakistan early

The sight of Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman walking out to open for Pakistan must have been soothing for their fans. But both the openers were back in the dugout within two overs. Ayub, in his return for Pakistan since his ankle injury in South Africa last year, got out first ball. He closed the face of his bat too early, offering a return catch to Mahedi Hasan. Shoriful Islam then removed Fakhar next over, darting an inswinger back into his pads. Shoriful became the fourth Bangladesh bowler to take 50 wickets in T20Is.

Mohammad Haris, however, brought Shoriful down to earth with three boundaries in a row, as the left-arm fast bowler went for 16 in the fourth over. Salman hit Mahedi for three fours in the next over, too, to help Pakistan cross fifty in the powerplay. Haris, though, fell in the seventh over for 31 off 18 balls.

Salman and Nawaz combine well for Pakistan
Despite the departure of Haris, Salman kept going for Pakistan. He struck Tanzim and Rishad for boundaries, before Hassan Nawaz, fresh from his PSL heroics, bashed Rishad for his first six. Salman mixed his big-hitting with dainty shots like the scoop and late cuts as Pakistan run-rate got a nitro-boost.

In the tenth over, Salman flicked Tanzim for a six, before pasting him through point and then dabbing him past the keeper. Nawaz, meanwhile, kept the pressure on Bangladesh with a pair of sixes off Rishad and Hasan Mahmud, before the latter removed Salman with a dipping full toss. It ended a 65-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Nawaz batted on for Pakistan, smashing Rishad for a six over extra-cover, followed by two more fours. The second four was a chance, but Parvez Hossain Emon ended up dropping a sitter at long-on and parrying the ball into the boundary. Nawaz, however, fell next ball, caught and bowled by Rishad, for 44 off 22 balls.

Shadab bosses the death overs
Pakistan went 18 balls without a boundary after Nawaz’s dismissal. Shamim Hossain was the surprise package with his part-time offbreaks; he dismissed Khushdil Shah in the 17th over for his maiden T20I cricket.
Shadab, though, went after Rishad in the 18th over, taking him for a sequence of 6,6,4. Faheem Ashraf launched Shamim over midwicket in the penultimate over before Shadab struck two more fours off Shoriful in the last over. Shadab’s hits were vital to Pakistan crossing 200.

Hasan wrecks Bangladesh’s chase
Hasan struck his first blow when he had Parvez caught at mid-on for 4 in his first over. In his next over, Tanzid took him for a brace of fours, but the fast bowler hit back to knock him over with a knuckle ball.
When Hasan returned to the attack in the 18th over, Bangladesh were 141 for 6, still needing 61 off 18 balls. Jaker Ali was on 30 off 18 balls at that point, with his big-hitting offering Bangladesh slim hope. Hasan conceded a six with his first legal ball in his second spell, but bounced Jaker out next ball for 36 off 20 balls. In the same over, he had Tanzim caught and bowled for 1.
In the final over, Hasan completed his five-for and dismissed Bangladesh for 164.

Litton, Hridoy get stuck
Litton and Towhid Hridoy had added 63 for the third wicket, but they didn’t find the tempo that could’ve hurt Pakistan. Hridoy managed only 17 off 22 balls, with just one four. It was his slowest knock in a T20I in which he has faced at least 20 balls.
Litton also had a slow start – he was on 11 off 12 balls at one point – but a four off Shadab saw him break free in the eighth over. Litton went onto hit three sixes before Shadab had the last laugh, having him caught at backward point. Litton’s dismissal precipitated Bangladesh’s slide. (ESPN Cricinfo)