All-rounder Maaz Sadaqat starred with a fiery fifty and bowling figures of 3/23 as Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 128 runs in the rain-affected second ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Set to chase a revised target of 243 in 32 overs, the home side could accumulate 114 before getting bowled out in 23.3 overs.
Initially set to chase 275 in 50 overs, the hosts got off to a shaky start to the pursuit as they lost three wickets inside five overs with just 15 runs on the board.
Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy took Bangladesh’s total to 27/3 in 6.3 before rain intervened, and the action remained halted for more than two hours.
Following the resumption, Das and Hridoy launched a brief counterattack on the Pakistan bowlers, raising 58 runs off 47 deliveries before Sadaqat broke the threatening partnership by dismissing the former.
Das remained the top-scorer for Bangladesh with a spirited 41 off 33 deliveries, laced with four fours and two sixes.
His dismissal sparked a collapse, which saw Bangladesh lose four more wickets at an alarming rate, including that of set batter Hridoy (28), and consequently slipped to 103/8 in 19.4 overs.
Haris Rauf then swept away Bangladesh’s toothless batting tail and rounded up a comprehensive victory for the Green Shirts.
Sadaqat and Rauf co-led Pakistan’s bowling charge, taking three wickets each, followed by skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi with two, while Mohammad Wasim Jr and Faheem Ashraf chipped in with one apiece.
Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s decision to field first backfired as the touring side amassed 274 before getting bowled out in their 47.3 overs.
Pakistan got off to a blazing start to their innings as their openers, Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz, put together 103 runs off just 77 deliveries.
Captain Miraz eventually gave Bangladesh the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Maaz, who remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a blistering 75 off 46 deliveries with the help of six fours and five sixes.
Pakistan then lost two more wickets in quick succession as Farhan and top-order batter Shamyl Hussain fell victim to Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana, respectively, thus bringing the total down to 122/3 in 19.3 overs.
Following the back-to-back blows, Agha joined wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan in the middle, and the duo reinstated Pakistan into a commanding position by putting together a 109-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
The century-plus stand had a bizarre end as Agha was run out by Bangladesh captain Miraz while he was helping him pick up the ball standing just outside the crease at the non-striker’s end.
Agha walked back in disgust after scoring 64 off 62 deliveries, featuring seven fours and two sixes.
Rizwan followed suit in the same over and remained a notable run-getter for the Green Shirts with a 59-ball 44.
His dismissal sparked an astonishing collapse as Pakistan lost their remaining five wickets for 43 runs and thus failed to breach the 300-run mark, which appeared achievable at the start.
Rishad Hossain spearheaded Bangladesh’s bowling charge with three wickets, followed by Miraz with two, while Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed made one scalp apiece.