Shadab, Hasan Ali shine as Pakistan outplay Bangladesh in first T20I

Shadab Khan delivered a brilliant all-round performance while Hasan Ali produced career-best bowling figures as Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 37 runs in the opening match of their three-game T20I series at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday night.

Pakistan posted a solid 201-7, thanks to key contributions from captain Salman Ali Agha (56), Shadab Khan (48), and Hasan Nawaz (44).

Hasan Ali then dominated with the ball, taking 5-30 in 3.2 overs, his best T20I figures, while Shadab supported with 2-26. Bangladesh was bowled out for 164 in 19.2 overs.

Hasan Ali became the latest Pakistani bowler to claim five wickets in a T20I, joining the ranks of Sufyan Muqeem (5-3 vs. Zimbabwe), Umar Gul (5-6 vs. New Zealand and 5-6 vs. South Africa), and Imad Wasim (5-14 vs. West Indies).

With 202 runs to win, Bangladesh lost two early wickets at 37-2 after four overs. Captain Litton Das (48) then led a 63-run third-wicket stand with Towhid Hridoy in just 42 balls.

But seasoned leg-spinner Shadab Khan broke the stand, having Das caught by Fakhar Zaman. At 100-3 after 12 overs, Bangladesh was in trouble. Das’s 30-ball knock included three sixes and a four, with two of the sixes coming off Haris Rauf in an 11th-over burst that yielded 17 runs.

In the next over, spinner Khushdil Shah trapped Hridoy lbw for a 22-ball 17. Salman Ali Agha then removed Shamim Hossain (4), and Shadab dismissed Rishad Hossain (4), leaving Bangladesh struggling at 124-6 in the 16th over.

Jaker Ali briefly fought back with a brisk 21-ball 36, hitting three sixes and a four. But Hasan Ali dismissed him at a crucial moment, effectively ending Bangladesh’s resistance.

Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, and Faheem Ashraf each chipped in with a wicket.

Opting to bat first, skipper Salman Ali Agha anchored the innings with a composed fifty after Pakistan slipped to 5-2 in the second over.

Agha added 48 runs off 31 balls for the third wicket with Mohammad Haris, who played a lively 18-ball 31, hitting four fours and a six. Haris notably attacked Shoriful Islam in the fourth over, taking 16 runs with two fours and a six.

Agha then built a quick 65-run stand off just 33 balls for the fourth wicket with Hasan Nawaz. Medium-pacer Hasan Mahmud eventually dismissed Agha, who hit eight fours and a six in his 34-ball 56, his third T20I fifty. Agha had earlier struck off-spinner Mahedi Hasan for three fours in the fifth over and smashed a six and two fours off Tanzim Hasan Sakib in the 10th over.

Hasan Nawaz fell soon after for a blistering 44, which featured four sixes and two fours, caught by Rishad Hossain off his bowling in the 14th over. Pakistan stood at 139-5 at that point.

In the final overs, Shadab Khan unleashed a furious attack, hammering 48 runs off just 25 balls, including five fours and two sixes. He and Faheem Ashraf (11 not out off six) combined for a rapid 50-run seventh-wicket stand off 22 balls.

Shadab particularly punished Rishad Hossain in the 18th over, smashing two sixes and a four as the over yielded 19 runs.

Pakistan had a shaky start, losing Saim Ayub (0) in the first over to off-spinner Mahedi Hasan, who caught the leading edge off his bowling.

In the next over, pacer Shoriful Islam trapped Fakhar Zaman (1) lbw, reducing Pakistan to 5-2. Shoriful’s wicket also made him the fourth Bangladeshi bowler to reach 50 T20I wickets in his 45th game.

Pakistan recovered to 52-2 in the powerplay, reached 97-3 after 10 overs, and were 143-5 by the 15th over. They added 58 runs in the final five overs.

Shoriful Islam led Bangladesh’s attack with 2-32 in three overs. Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan, Rishad Hossain, and Shamim Hossain each took one wicket.

The teams will meet again in the second match at the same venue on Friday.