LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Fast bowler Hasan Ali grabbed a 5-30 and led a new-look Pakistan T20 cricket team to a thumping 37-run win over Bangladesh in the opening game of their three-match series on Wednesday.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha made a career-best 56 as Pakistan posted a competitive 201-7 after Agha won the toss and elected to bat in Mike Hesson’s first assignment as Pakistan’s new white-ball head coach.
Hasan, playing only his second Twenty20 international in more than 2-1/2 years, dismissed both openers with the new ball and claimed three more wickets in the death overs to bowl out Bangladesh for 164 in 19.2 overs.
Pakistan dropped seasoned batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in a bid to look for youngsters, who could bat aggressively — especially in the power play.
The selectors also overlooked fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi for the home series despite the left-arm fast bowler leading Lahore Qalandars to their third Pakistan Super League title in four years last Sunday.
Hasan rocks Bangladesh
In the absence of Afridi, Hasan provided Pakistan early breakthroughs despite Tanzid Hasan smashing three sixes and two fours in his brisk 31-run knock off 17 balls.
Parvez Hossain Emon, who scored a century against United Arab Emirates in a T20 last week, could score only four as he mistimed a pull shot against Hasan and was caught on the edge of the circle.
Tanzid’s aggression was also cut short by Hasan’s knuckle ball as the left-hander got deceived by slowness of the delivery and was clean bowled in the fourth over.
Skipper Litton Das (48) and Towhid Hridoy (17) combined in a 63-run stand off 48 balls but the asking rate always kept creeping as Shadab Khan bowled a tidy four-over spell of 2-26.
Das was smartly caught at point by Fakhar Zaman as he tried to square cut Shadab in the 12th over and Hridoy was out plumb leg before wicket when he tried to play across the line against left-arm spinner Khushdil Shah in the next over.
Jaker Ali countercharged briefly with 36 off 20 balls that included three sixes and a boundary but was caught at short fine leg as he tried to play Hasan’s short ball but top-edged to Abrar Ahmed.
Hasan also took a brilliant running catch to dismiss Tanzim Hasan Sakib before he finished off Bangladesh innings when No. 11 Shoriful Islam was caught at long-off.
Agha and Shadab spur Pakistan
Pakistan had a bumpy start when Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman, both returning to international cricket after injuries, fell inside the first eight balls.
Saim offered a tame return catch off the first ball he faced against Mahedi Hasan and Zaman played Shoriful across the line and was adjudged leg before wicket.
But Mohammad Haris, replacing wicket-keeper batter Rizwan, didn’t hold back and counterpunched in the power play with a brisk 31 off 18 balls.
Fast bowler Tanzim intelligently varied his pace and dismissed Haris soon after the powerplay before Agha and Pakistan’s new T20 batting sensation Hasan Nawaz took charge.
Agha smashed eight fours and a six while Nawaz, who was adjudged PSL player of the tournament, smashed four sixes and a two fours in his belligerent 44 runs off just 22 balls.
Agha fell to a soft dismissal when he chipped an easy catch to extra cover of Mahmud’s high full toss while Nawaz smashed Rishad Hossain for two fours and a six before offering a straightforward catch to the spinner in the 14th over.
But Shadab took charge in the final four overs as Pakistan scored 51 off the last 23 balls before Shadab holed out at mid-on off the penultimate ball.
All the six Bangladesh bowlers were amongst the wickets with Shoriful bagging 2-32, but Rishad returned with expensive figures of 1-55.
Lahore will also host the remaining two games on Friday and Sunday.
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The Associated Press
