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Asia Cup | Clinical Pakistan Start Super Four With Thumping Win Over Bangladesh

image-lm7xd4gfImam-ul-Haq scored 78 runs [Source: X.com]

Not much went wrong for Pakistan in the opening clash of the Super Four round as they gathered an easy seven-wicket win over Bangladesh at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.


Haris Rauf rattles Bangladesh with a four-fer

Only the coin flipped in the favour of Bangladesh, who opted to bat first. All of the first innings, barring a 20-over period, was dominated by Pakistan, whose pacers, especially Haris Rauf, again made mockery of the opponent's batting line-up.

All three of their main pacers, namely Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, contributed to Bangladesh's first four wickets that they lost inside the powerplay.

image-lm7yg0tqRauf scalped four wickets [AP Photos]

The experienced pair of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim forged a 100-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Both the batters scored half-centuries and led a substantial recovery for the Tigers.

However, after Faheem Ashraf dismissed Shakib in the 30th over, Bangladesh got back to square one, resulting in a collapse that had them losing all their remaining wickets by the 39th over at a total of 194 runs.

Rauf and Naseem starred with the ball for Pakistan, taking four and three wickets, respectively.


Disciplined Imam leave Bangladesh with no chance 

The Bangladesh bowlers were right on the target in the first ten overs, giving away only 37 runs. In that period, Shoriful Islam showed the walking papers to Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman.

Babar Azam also perished without doing much as Bangladesh saw a window to claw their way back into the game.

However, Imam-ul-Haq's solidity closed the comeback door for Shakib's men. He played a well-compiled 78-run knock, partnering with Mohammad Rizwan, who also scored a fifty, for a match-winning 85-run stand.

Eventually, Pakistan chased the target in the 40th over, winning by seven wickets.


Brief scores 

Bangladesh - 193/10 (38.4 overs)
Mushfiqur Rahim 64 (87), Shakib Al Hasan 53 (57);
Haris Rauf 4-19 (6), Naseem Shan 3-34 (5.4)

Pakistan - 194/3 (39.3)
Imam-ul-Haq 78 (84), Mohammad Rizwan 63* (79);
Shoriful Islam 1-24 (8), Taskin Ahmed 1-32 (8)

Pakistan won by seven wickets.