Pakistan’s Shadab Khan (2nd-L) reacts after the dismissal of Bangladesh batsman Liton Das (C) during their second T20 international at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday. — AFP photo
Bangladesh were unable to show any improvement on their batting from the first match and were restricted to even poorer total in the second Twenty20 international to receive nine-wicket hammering against Pakistan in Lahore on Saturday.
Mohammad Hafeez and Babar Azam struck unbeaten fifties as Pakistan cruised to 137-1 in 16.4 overs to take 2-0 lead in the three-match series and render Monday’s third match a dead rubber after their bowlers had restricted Bangladesh to 136-6 in 20 overs.
Opener Tamim Iqbal was the only batsman to play a healthy knock by scoring 65 off 53 balls but rest of Bangladeshi batsmen failed to make any impact after skipper Mahmudullah won the toss and elected to bat for second successive match.
Unlike the first game, when Bangladesh made 141-5, the visitors’ struggle start right from the start as Shaheen Afridi handed Mohammad Naim a golden duck off the first ball of the second over.
Mahedi Hasan, who came in the side for Mohammad Mithun for only his second Twenty20 international and first since 2018, struck Imad Wasim a six but perished soon as he top-edged Mohammad Hasnain after making nine runs.
Liton Das followed him soon with leg-spinner Shadab Khan trapping him leg-before for eight to leave Bangladesh 41-3.
Tamim and Afif Hossain (21) then tried to rebuild the innings by adding 45 runs for the fourth wicket before Afif became Hasnain’s second victim in the contest.
Tamim, who was dropped on 16 by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, completed his eighth Twenty20 international fifty off 44 balls and looked set to guide Bangladesh a challenging total when he smashed Shadab for three boundaries in the 16th over.
However, Tamim, who struck seven fours and a six, was run-out for the consecutive time in the series by a direct-through of Imad Wasim, ending Bangladesh’s hope of taking their score over 150-run mark.
Mahmudullah also failed to provide any late spark as he was bowled by Haris Rauf in the final over after just making run-a-ball 12, which kept Bangladesh restricted to the lowest ever total at the venue.
Pacer Shafiul Islam then gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough removing Ahsan Ali for a duck but ironically it remained as their only success throughout the innings.
Liton dropped Hafeez on 52 off Mustafizur Rahman and the right-hander went on to stay unbeaten on 67 alongside Babar, 66 off 44 not out, to complete the win.
The duo put an unbeaten 131-run stand for the second wicket, highest second wicket partnership in a Twenty20 international involving the two teams that proved to be the catalyst for Pakistan’s win with 20 balls to spare.