Farhan and Abrar star as resurgent Pakistan win Bangladesh T20 series

Gulf Today

2 days ago

Opener Sahibzada Farhan notched his maiden half century and spinner Abrar Ahmed grabbed three wickets to guide Pakistan to another convincing 57-run win over Bangladesh in Lahore on Friday night.
Farhan smashed a 41-ball 74 and Hasan Nawaz made 51 off 26 balls to help the home team post 201-6 before Abrar grabbed 3-19 to keep Bangladesh to 144-9 in 19 overs, with the last man Shoriful Islam unable to bat due to injury.
Pakistan, who won the first match by 37 runs at the same venue, take an unassailable 2-0 lead with the final match on Sunday, also in Lahore.
The win also gives a kickstart to Pakistan's new white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, appointed earlier this month to stem a slide which saw them win just three of their last 13 T20s before this series.
Bangladesh raced to 32 in the first two overs but openers Parvez Hossain (eight) and Tanzid Hasan (19-ball 33 with five boundaries and a six) fell within two runs of each other.
Abrar Ahmed (R) celebrates with teammate Mohammad Haris (2R) after taking the wicket of Jaker Ali (2L). AFP
From 46-2, Bangladesh slumped to 56-5 with Abrar dismissing Towhid Hridoy (five) and Jaker Ali (nought) off successive deliveries while pacer Hasan Ali had skipper Litton Das for six.
Tanzim Hasan, who top-scored with a career best 31-ball 50, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 23 off 17 balls, added 33 for the eighth wicket but it was too little, too late.
Pakistan's first T20 home series win since December 2021 delighted skipper Salman Agha.
"It feels good, I didn't know it was three and a half years ago that we won a series at home," said Agha of Pakistan's last win over the West Indies at home.
"This is what I want, we should always have players who can come in and replace anyone, any captain would love that," said Agha, praising the new coach.
"It's been a few days and we are loving the environment, credit to Hesson. He has managed to gel the team really well and built a nice environment, he has done that very quickly."
Bangladesh skipper Litton rued the loss of wickets in clusters. "There were back to back wickets and in cricket you have to follow basics, sometimes you don't follow the basics that cost you," he said. "We still have a game to come back strongly."
Sahibzada Farhan bats during the second Twenty20 match in Lahore. AP
Earlier, Pakistan posted a consecutive 200-plus total with Farhan and Nawaz ably supported by Mohammad Haris whose 41 came off 25 balls after the home team won the toss and batted.
After losing fellow opener Saim Ayub to a run out for four, Farhan put the innings on a solid footing with a 103-run second wicket stand of 54 balls with Haris.
The Farhan-Haris duo smashed Bangladesh bowlers to all corners, with Farhan hitting six sixes and four boundaries while Haris's knock had two sixes and four boundaries.
Farhan was finally caught by Litton Das off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain in the 12th over. His previous best of 39 was against Australia in Dubai in 2018.
Nawaz gave a final polish to the innings by hitting three sixes and two boundaries as Pakistan added 40 in the last five overs.
Agha fell for 19 and Shadab Khan made seven.
For Bangladesh Tanzim Hasan finished with 2-36 and Hasan Mahmud took 2-47.
Agence France-Presse