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When Babar Azam Powered Pakistan To A 3-0 T20I Series Whitewash Against Bangladesh

Jatin

Pakistan defeated Bangladesh 3-0 in 2021 [Source: @WisdenCricket/x.com]Pakistan defeated Bangladesh 3-0 in 2021 [Source: @WisdenCricket/x.com]

The tables have well and truly turned in Dhaka. As Pakistan, now under the leadership of Agha Salman, struggled to save face in the ongoing series against Bangladesh, fans are rewinding the clock to a very different time in November 2021.

Babar Azam’s Pakistan Team Crushed Bangladesh In Their Own Backyard

That is when a Babar Azam-led Pakistan team steamrolled Bangladesh in their own backyard and pulled off a 3-0 T20I whitewash. Played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, all three matches of the 2021 series went in Pakistan’s favour.

It wasn’t just a win, it was a statement. The Men in Green won the first T20I by 4 wickets, the second by 8 wickets and finished the series with a 5-wicket win. Bangladesh were left scratching their heads as Pakistan kept ticking every box, match after match.

Ironically, while Babar the captain was getting the job done, Babar the batter was off-colour. He had a rare lean patch, scoring just 27 runs in 3 innings (7, 1, 19), averaging 9 with a strike rate of just 67.5. For a player of his calibre, that was way below par. But Pakistan’s depth did the trick, with others stepping up to the plate.

Pakistan Will Aim To Save Their Pride

Coming to the present and it is a completely different picture. Bangladesh have turned the tables. With two back-to-back wins at home, the Tigers already sealed the series 2-0. The third T20I is now just a dead rubber, though it is a big one for Pakistan, who are desperate to save face and avoid a whitewash of their own.

Meanwhile, Babar is nowhere to be seen in the squad. The team has a fresh look with youth at the forefront, and the captaincy baton passed to Salman Agha. But while Pakistan look to the future, the echoes of that 2021 win still linger, a time when they ruled Dhaka.