Pakistan eye T20 series whitewash against Bangladesh

Pakistan's Babar Azam plays a shot in front of Bangladesh's wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan during the Twenty20 tri-series cricket match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 13, 2022. — AFP

LAHORE: Pakistan will be aiming to seal a series whitewash when they take on Bangladesh in the third and final T20I at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday (today). Having already secured a dominant 57-run victory in the second T20I, Pakistan leads the three-match series 2-0 and will look to finish in style.

Pakistan’s batting unit has been in red-hot form, with Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Haris delivering match-winning performances. In the second T20I, Farhan smashed a blistering 74 off 41 balls, while Haris added 41 off 25 deliveries.

Rookie batter Hasan Nawaz continued his excellent form, scoring 50 off 26 balls, ensuring Pakistan breached the 200-run mark once again.

The bowling attack, led by leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, has been clinical in restricting Bangladesh. Abrar’s figures of 3-19 in four overs were instrumental in Pakistan’s comprehensive victory in the last match. Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, and Shadab Khan will be key to Pakistan’s bid for a clean sweep.

For Bangladesh, captain Litton Das and his men will be playing for pride in this dead rubber, hoping for a turnaround. Tanzid Hasan showed early aggression in the second T20I, scoring 31 off 19 balls, while tail-ender Tanzim Hasan Sakib fought back with a valiant 50 off 31 balls. However, Bangladesh’s middle order struggled, failing to chase Pakistan’s high total. The wicket at Gaddafi Stadium as always is expected to be batting-friendly, offering scoring opportunities for top-order players. With the first two T20Is won by the side batting first, the toss remains crucial, favoring setting a target.

Salman Agha outlines long-term vision

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has outlined his long-term vision for the national T20I team following their comprehensive 57-run victory over Bangladesh in the second T20I at Gaddafi Stadium. The triumph not only secured Pakistan a 2-0 lead in the series, but also marked their first T20I series win at home since December 2021, when they swept West Indies 3-0. Agha credited the team’s collective effort for the victory, describing it as ‘incredibly special’ in his post-match conference.

“This achievement feels incredibly special—I hadn’t realized it’s been three and a half years since our last home series win. The team’s effort has made me immensely proud,” he said. With the ICC T20 World Cup set to take place next year, Agha is focusing on building a squad with depth and versatility. He emphasized the importance of having 15 match-ready players, allowing for seamless replacements in case of injuries.

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