Sports Reporter :Plucky Tigers registered a resounding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the lone Twenty20 International match at the crowd-packed Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday. It was Bangladesh’s first victory against Pakistan in their Twenty20 mission.Winning in the coin-session Pakistan decided to bat first and scored 141 for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 20 overs.In reply, Bangladesh sailed home scoring 143 for the loss of three wickets remaining with 22 balls.After a disastrous start Shakib Al Hasan and Sabbir Rahman salvaged their team from the debacle adding together 105 runs for the unbroken third wicket partnership and earned the much-awaited victory.Shakib Al Hasan remained unbeaten with 57. His 41-ball knock was laced with nine fours while Sabbir Rahman hit a quick-fire 51 from 32 balls with seven fours and a sixer. Sabbir Rahman was adjudged the Man of the Match.It was Shakib Al Hasan’s fifth Twenty20 half century while Sabbir Rahman’s maiden Twenty20 fifty.Bangladesh had an unfortunate start as they lost their early two wickets for 17 runs.Opener Soumya Sarkar was run out by Saeed Ajmal for naught and Tamim Iqbal was caught by Mohammad Hafeez off Umar Gul for 14 runs.Then in-form Mushfiqur Rahim was bowled out by Wahab Riaz when Bangladesh’s total was 38 for the loss of three wickets.Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz got one wicket each conceding 23 and 39 runs respectively.Pakistan made a good start as openers Mukhtar Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad added 50 runs in the opening stand before Ahmed Shehzad was caught at the long-off by Mashrafe Bin Mortaza off Taskin Ahmed.After dismissal of Shehzad, Shahid Afridi came at the crease but his innings was short-lived as he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim off debutante Mustafizur Rahman when Pakistan’s score was 64 for the loss of two wickets.Then Arafat Sunny struck as opener Mukhtar Ahmed was stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim off Sunny when the tourists total was 77 for the loss of three wickets.Then Haris Sohail and Mohammad Hafeez repaired the damage adding together 49 runs for the fourth wicket partnership before Mohammad Hafeez was trapped leg before wicket by Mustafizur Rahman when the visitors score was 126 for the loss of four wickets.After departure of Hafeez, Sohail Tanvir was run out by Mushfiqur Rahim and Pakistan’s innings was concluded after they had added more 15 runs.Muktar Ahmed was the most successful batsman for Pakistan. He scored 37 from 30 balls featuring five fours and a sixer.Haris Sohail remained unbeaten with 30 off 24 balls while Mohammad Hafeez made 26 off 18 balls hitting four fours.Bangladesh bowlers and fielders showed an entertaining performance.Mustafizur Rahman bagged a couple of wickets at the cost of 20 runs while Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed took one wicket each for 23 and 29 runs respectively.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina witnessed the match at the Stadium and greeted the roaring Tigers for the entertaining victory against Pakistan.President Abdul Hamid, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury and Chairperson of BNP Begum Khaleda Zia congratulated Bangladesh team for their terrific win.
