Post-Babar Transition And Poor Pitch: Major Takeaways From BAN vs PAK 1st T20I

Kaushik Kashyap

BAN vs PAK 1st t20I. [Source - BCB/X.com]BAN vs PAK 1st t20I. [Source - BCB/X.com]

In the series opener at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka on Sunday, Bangladesh registered a dominant win over Pakistan to take a 1-0 lead. It was a forgettable outing for the visitors, who were bundled out for just 109 on a sluggish Dhaka surface.

Bangladesh had a comfortable stay in the chase, cruising to victory by seven wickets with plenty of overs to spare. The match offered several key takeaways, from Pakistan's batting collapse to Bangladesh's clinical execution. Here, we break down the three major talking points from a one-sided first T20I.

1. Patience the Key as Pakistan's Batting Collapse in New T20 Era Beyond Babar Rizwan

One of the major talking points from the first T20I was Pakistan’s batting failure at the top. Since moving on from the experienced duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan have faced a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand and now a heavy loss in the opening game of their current tour.

However, despite being bowled out for just 109, the new-look top four, featuring Mohammad Haris, Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz, and Saim Ayub, show signs of promise. The collective average of the top four batters is 28.22 since Babar and Rizwan left.

But the strike rate has been an impressive 152.97, up from 126.18 since January 2022. This young batting core brings freshness and intent. While they may take time to settle, Pakistan must stay patient with the transition, though adding experience remains crucial going forward.

2. Bangladesh’s Future is Bright with Youthful Firepower on Display

Bangladesh's batting young guns are showing they are ready to take over, with the likes of Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, and Jaker Ali stepping up impressively. Each of them has brought freshness and energy to the side, promising a bright future ahead.

Towhid and Jaker, in particular, have showcased outstanding temperament, scoring crucial runs under pressure, exactly what Bangladesh needs with the T20 World Cup just months away. Their calmness and composure in tricky situations have been a major plus.

Chasing a modest total in the first T20I, Pakistan’s Salman Mirza struck twice early to rattle the hosts. But Parvez and Towhid calmly rebuilt the innings, ensuring no further early damage and guiding Bangladesh to a comfortable win, their biggest against Pakistan in terms of balls left, boosting belief in the new generation.

3. Lack of Sporting Pitches Continues to Be a Major Barrier to Bangladesh’s Rise

Bangladesh pitches continue to remain below average, offering slow, low conditions that rarely push players out of their comfort zones. While these surfaces may help secure short-term home success, they are proving to be a major roadblock in Bangladesh’s long-term development on the global stage.

Bangladesh’s batting run rate at home is just 7.25 per over in the last five years, the lowest among all full-member sides in home conditions. It highlights the lack of intent and challenge. And now, once again we see teams getting bowled out for just 109 in the very first match of this series.

Young talents are emerging, but bowlers aren’t exposed to testing conditions that sharpen their skills. Similarly, batters struggle to flourish or understand what it takes to succeed on sporting surfaces, especially in high-pressure situations like World Cup events abroad.