Known for its resilience, Pakistan scripted a much-needed turnaround by thumping Bangladesh by seven wickets and recording its third victory to remain within the World Cup semifinal race on the Eden Gardens right here on Tuesday.
Electing to bat on a dry pitch, Bangladesh didn’t final for 50 overs for the fourth time in its final six innings because it stuttered to 204 with Shaheen Afridi brilliantly capturing three essential wickets. Openers Fakhar Zaman and Shafique Abdullah’s authoritative half-centuries enabled the previous champion to realize the modest goal and finish the four-match dropping streak.
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The left-right mixture of Fakhar and Shafique received used to the observe earlier than toying with the dispirited Bangladeshi bowlers and erecting a run-a-ball 128-run stand.
In the one-sided sub-continental duel, Fakhar (81), who made an emphatic return after over three weeks by clobbering seven spectacular sixes, totally on the onside and one stunningly over third-man, and Shafique (68), who hammered Mustafizur Rahman for 3 fours in an over, entertained practically 28000 spectators with some T20 stuff.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz took all three Pakistan wickets however couldn’t stop the inevitable.
Bangladesh’s Powerplay woes continued because it misplaced three wickets for 23.
Leading Pakistan’s tempo pack, Afridi displayed his good management and extracted seam motion to supply early breakthroughs gifting away too little. He trapped opener Tanzid Hasan lbw within the first over to turn into the quickest Pakistani bowler to log 100 wickets and had Najmul Shanto caught by a diving Usama Mir at quick midwicket within the third.
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After being hit for 3 fours, Haris Rauf was relieved to have Mushfiqur Rahim caught behind.
A targeted Litton (45) and a assured Mahmudullah (56) revived the innings. The duo’s wise shot choice and rotation of strike solid The Tigers’ greatest partnership, 79 off 89 deliveries.
Mahmudullah dominated the offside and pulled Usama for a large six. Litton, who impressed by consecutively driving Rauf on both facet of the stumps to the boundary, executed his cuts and drives effectively.
Iftikhar removed Litton to interrupt the partnership leading to Bangladesh’s decelerated run price.
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Afridi returned to bowl a magnificence from around the wicket and take away Mahmudullah.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan started watchfully earlier than switching gears. A rising supply ended his 76-ball 43 and gave Rauf a second of pleasure.
Mohammad Wasim, who was getting the ball to reverse, cleaned up the Bangladeshi tail.
Bangladesh’s sixth back-to-back defeat let down its emotional followers, who needed to endure the ache of their workforce’s formal exit.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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