The pitch offered low bounce and turn, making stroke-making difficult, and the Pakistani top-order struggled to build partnerships.
Mustafizur Rahman (1/33) relied on his pace and accuracy, Taskin Ahmed (3/28) took crucial wickets, including his 100th T20I scalp Sahibzada Farhan (4), and Rishad Hossain (2/18) exploited the tacky surface to claim two wickets while taking smart catches in the field.
Pakistan’s innings was shaky from the start.
Saim Ayub, touted as a promising youngster, fell for a fourth T20I duck, unable to clear mid-on off Mahedi Hasan (2/28).
Fakhar Zaman (13), Hussain Talat (3), and Salman Ali Agha (19) failed to build partnerships, leaving Pakistan below 50 in the early overs.
Mohammed Haris (31 off 23) stood out, playing a resilient and plucky knock to keep Pakistan in contention. Shaheen Afridi (19) provided a quick cameo with two sixes, while Mohammed Nawaz (25 off 15) added explosive late runs, benefiting from a couple of dropped catches.
Despite the lower-order resistance, Pakistan’s total remains below par on this slow, low-bounce track, giving Bangladesh a distinct advantage in the chase. Their disciplined bowling, particularly by Taskin, Mustafizur, and Rishad, has put them in a commanding position in this crucial Super 4s clash.
