Watch | Bangladesh vs Pakistan T20I series culminates with a controversial final over
There were all the makings for a huge controversy in the third and the final T20 International of the Bangladesh vs Pakistan series. Despite the match being a dead rubber, the final T20I was closely contested with Pakistan needing 8 runs to win from the final 6 balls. With Taskin Ahmed not being able to complete his full quota of overs, Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah was forced to bowl himself in the final over. What followed was sheer madness, and possibly one of the most entertaining last overs in recent times. The Bangladesh skipper started off with a length delivery against former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed who was playing his first game of the series. The right hand batter tried to sweep the ball hard down to the mid wicket region but ended up copping a blow on his chest. 8 off 5 required Almost a repeat of the first ball, but this time Sarfaraz connected. He sat down and swiped his bat hard but failed to get any elevation on the ball. Mohammad Naim standing at deep mid wicket did the rest, picking up a regulation catch. 0 and a wicket in the first two balls till now The third ball of the over, Mahmudullah had to bowl to Haider Ali, who was 37 balls in and had scored 45 runs at that point. The right arm slow medium bowled a shortish ball on the off stump, which Haider Ali pulled off his back foot. He did not get the desired connection and landed the ball straight to long on where Najmul hasan Shanto fumbled, but completed the catch in second attempt. 0,W,W in the first three balls. Now, two new batsmen were in the crease and in three balls 8 runs should have been tricky. But it was not. Facing the first ball of the innings, Iftikhar Ahmed hit a huge six down the ground against an over-pitched delivery to balance the equation; rather tilt it towards Pakistan. 0,W,W,6 Pakistan required 2 off the last two balls. Things were very easy from here on, but in an utter moment of madness, Ahmed sliced a full and wide delivery to backward point. Bangladesh went delirious and the commentators could not believe what they were seeing. When the camera panned to Pakistan captain Babar Azam while Ahmed took a long walk back, he looked furious with his batter to have thrown the opportunity away like that. Some slurs were hurled and some bottles were thrown as Pakistan looked to have messed things up. 0,W,W,6,W 2 needed off the last ball. This should have been finished in only one ball. All three results were possible. A win, a loss and a possible Super Over with Bangladesh’s worst bowler having taken the final over. And this is where the controversy began. Mahmudullah ran into bowl at Mohammad Nawaz, fresh in the crease. He bowled it into the stumps to everyone’s surprise and got the ball to come in from good length. Nawaz, at the last second, moved away from the line of the ball and left it alone. The ball crashed into the stumps and the crowd at Mirpur went up in celebration. Only, it wasn’t to be. Nawaz claimed that he was not ready and Mahmudullah in a moment of incredible self control and generosity, agreed to not stick to his appeal of a clean bowled!! 0,W,W,6,W,(bowled out) Pakistan knew that they need to run a single to make this safe, and Khushdil Shah standing that the bowler’s end decided to start early. Before the bowler could finish his stride, he took a couple of steps out to maximise the advantage. Mahmudullah stopped before rolling his arm and turned towards the wicket. He could have run Khushdil out and chose not to, once again in a maddening moment of sportsman spirit. 0,W,W,6,W,(bowled out),(mankad) A part-timer can only hold out for so long. Mahmudullah bowled a full delivery in the final (legal) ball of the innings and got slapped for a drive through extra cover. It appeared that his luck had run out finally as Pakistan clean sweeped the series 3-0 to cap off the tour. On the other hand Mahmudullah and his men sunk further extending their losing streak in the white ball format.
 "Somya Kapoor")
