In the end, it was much ado about nothing, as Pakistan bowlers almost sleepwalked over the Bangladesh batting line-up, dumping them by 50 runs in the one-off Twenty20 game here on Tuesday.
Nasir Hossain remained unbeaten on 35 off 38 deliveries, with Rubel Hossain giving him company – yet to open his account after playing five balls.
The story could have had a vastly different end had the Tigers batted with more composure, after the host bowlers, especially the much-vaunted spin attack, had restricted Pakistan to 135 for 7 in the full quota of 20 overs.
Having elected to bat, it was one of Pakistan's lowest scores ever in a T20 international game, but for the hosts wickets fell at regular intervals as the floodlights at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur gained more power and the frustration level in the stands hit a northward curve.
In the end, the hosts were 85 for 9.
With half the team back in the hut by early the ninth over, the fight was over long before Shafiul Islam fell the last prey for Pakistan, trapped leg before for a duck by Shoaib Malik in the 16th over.
Two balls earlier, Abdur Razzak had been caught by Shahid Afridi off Shoaib Malik for 9.
Farhad Reza took the long walk back to the pavilion before him -- trapped leg before by Shahid Afridi. Before him, Mushfiqur Rahim was run out for 7.
Skipper Mahmudullah (2) went for a cut off a short delivery from Aizaz Cheema but nicked it straight to the wicketkeeper, barely two overs after the huge dent came with the dismissal of his predecessor Shakib Al Hasan. Shakib -- bowled by Mohammed Hafeez for 7.
Opener Imrul Kayes (2) was the victim of a run out in the over before that.
Fellow opener Naeem Islam (3) was the first to be dismissed, when he failed to flick a quick Umar Gul delivery and the ball hit the pad and trapped him in front of the wickets.
Alok Kapali went back for a duck in the very next over when he turned Mohammad Hafeez's tossed-up delivery to Misbah at midwicket.
Pakistan restricted
Earlier, Pakistan finished their innings at 135 for 7, one of their lowest scores ever in a Twenty20 international.
Skipper Misbah-ul-Huq (11) remained unbeaten with Umar Gul (4).
Sohail Tanvir (6) was dismissed off a suicidal run out in the last over. Moments before, Shahid Afridi (8) was dismissed off Alok Kapali, caught by Nasir Hossain at long-off.
Before him, Shoaib Malik (2) returned to the hut in a soft dismissal with a return catch to Abdur Razzak in the 15th over.
Asad Shafiq (19) went back mistiming and sending the ball high up for a catch to Abdur Razzak at long-on off Nasir Hossain in the over before.
Umar Akmal (20) was dismissed when a quick leg-spinner from Alok Kapali deceived him up the track, with Mushfiqur Rahim making no mistake.
Opener Mohammed Hafeez, under pressure after playing five consecutive dot balls, gave way for a Shakib Al Hasan delivery to strike his off-stump.
Hafeez had lost his fellow opener Imran Farhat (16) in the fifth over, caught behind off Shakib.
The Tigers had left out opener Tamim Iqbal for the game, and drafted in all-rounder Farhad Reza in his place. The Pakistan team remained unchanged from the line-up of the last Twenty20 game they had played against Sri Lanka in the UAE recently.
The visitors have now won the fifth straight T20 international against Bangladesh.
Though the Tigers won the lone T20 they played at the Mirpur stadium against the West Indies last month, they haven't had a very good outing in this format of the game so far, winning only four of the 17 T20 games they have played.
Of them only two were against a top-flight side, the West Indies biting the dust on both occasions.
The teams:
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Imran Farhat, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema.
Bangladesh: Imrul Kayes, Naeem Islam, Alok Kapali, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Farhad Reza, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam.
Nasir Hossain remained unbeaten on 35 off 38 deliveries, with Rubel Hossain giving him company – yet to open his account after playing five balls.
The story could have had a vastly different end had the Tigers batted with more composure, after the host bowlers, especially the much-vaunted spin attack, had restricted Pakistan to 135 for 7 in the full quota of 20 overs.
Having elected to bat, it was one of Pakistan's lowest scores ever in a T20 international game, but for the hosts wickets fell at regular intervals as the floodlights at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur gained more power and the frustration level in the stands hit a northward curve.
In the end, the hosts were 85 for 9.
With half the team back in the hut by early the ninth over, the fight was over long before Shafiul Islam fell the last prey for Pakistan, trapped leg before for a duck by Shoaib Malik in the 16th over.
Two balls earlier, Abdur Razzak had been caught by Shahid Afridi off Shoaib Malik for 9.
Farhad Reza took the long walk back to the pavilion before him -- trapped leg before by Shahid Afridi. Before him, Mushfiqur Rahim was run out for 7.
Skipper Mahmudullah (2) went for a cut off a short delivery from Aizaz Cheema but nicked it straight to the wicketkeeper, barely two overs after the huge dent came with the dismissal of his predecessor Shakib Al Hasan. Shakib -- bowled by Mohammed Hafeez for 7.
Opener Imrul Kayes (2) was the victim of a run out in the over before that.
Fellow opener Naeem Islam (3) was the first to be dismissed, when he failed to flick a quick Umar Gul delivery and the ball hit the pad and trapped him in front of the wickets.
Alok Kapali went back for a duck in the very next over when he turned Mohammad Hafeez's tossed-up delivery to Misbah at midwicket.
Pakistan restricted
Earlier, Pakistan finished their innings at 135 for 7, one of their lowest scores ever in a Twenty20 international.
Skipper Misbah-ul-Huq (11) remained unbeaten with Umar Gul (4).
Sohail Tanvir (6) was dismissed off a suicidal run out in the last over. Moments before, Shahid Afridi (8) was dismissed off Alok Kapali, caught by Nasir Hossain at long-off.
Before him, Shoaib Malik (2) returned to the hut in a soft dismissal with a return catch to Abdur Razzak in the 15th over.
Asad Shafiq (19) went back mistiming and sending the ball high up for a catch to Abdur Razzak at long-on off Nasir Hossain in the over before.
Umar Akmal (20) was dismissed when a quick leg-spinner from Alok Kapali deceived him up the track, with Mushfiqur Rahim making no mistake.
Opener Mohammed Hafeez, under pressure after playing five consecutive dot balls, gave way for a Shakib Al Hasan delivery to strike his off-stump.
Hafeez had lost his fellow opener Imran Farhat (16) in the fifth over, caught behind off Shakib.
The Tigers had left out opener Tamim Iqbal for the game, and drafted in all-rounder Farhad Reza in his place. The Pakistan team remained unchanged from the line-up of the last Twenty20 game they had played against Sri Lanka in the UAE recently.
The visitors have now won the fifth straight T20 international against Bangladesh.
Though the Tigers won the lone T20 they played at the Mirpur stadium against the West Indies last month, they haven't had a very good outing in this format of the game so far, winning only four of the 17 T20 games they have played.
Of them only two were against a top-flight side, the West Indies biting the dust on both occasions.
The teams:
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Imran Farhat, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema.
Bangladesh: Imrul Kayes, Naeem Islam, Alok Kapali, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Farhad Reza, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam.
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