Pakistan win last-ball thriller and defeat Bangladesh 3-0 in the T20I Series

Pakistan vs Bangladesh, 3rd T20I, Dhaka, Nov 22 2021, Pakistan tour of Bangladesh

Match Result: Pakistan won by 5 wickets

Player of the Match: Mohammad Rizwan

Match Report: It was pretty much the same story again. Just this time, it was way too closer. Bangladesh won the toss,opted to bat first,scored low again, giving their bowlers little to defend. But the Bangladeshi bowlers stepped up again. Mohammad Naim was the anchor holding the batting from one end. But his strike rate was below 100 when he got out. He never really accelerated. There was no finish too. It meant that Bangladesh gave Pakistan a target of 124, which is nearly run a ball.

Pakistan started slow again. That’s one topic to debate on. They hold their wickets but the batting has been too slow in the powerplay. Haider Ali, who has poor records in international cricket, finally showed his mettle. He carried Pakistan beyond the winning line. Pakistan won the series 3-0. Mohammad Rizwan, who has had a perfect year in T20 Cricket, added another feather to his cap when he was declared the player of the tournament.

Saqlain Mushtaq | Pakistan coach – “The game was quite close, but our boys held their nerve. Credit to Bangladesh, especially the way Mahumudullah bowled the last over and controlled the situation. The conditions were strange compared to UAE, it wasn’t easy, but the bowlers executed their plans nicely. They are playing the game seriously, ticking all the boxes, enjoying each other’s company and showing plenty of faith in themselves. Having that kind of depth is a great thing for Pakistan, the guys in the bench are working hard and are pushing each other for spots, you can’t ask for anything more.”

Mahmudullah | Bangladesh captain: It’s hard to say. Batters from both teams struggled a bit. Need to spend some time at the crease to capitalise. I really appreciate the way Taskin came back after having the injury on his bowling hand. Great character shown.

Mohammad Rizwan | Player of the Series: “Can’t explain the joy you feel when the team wins and when your performances contribute to wins. Our main focus is to assess the conditions and focus accordingly. Want to credit Majeed (Pakistan’s fielding coach), the way he’s worked on my keeping for the last year. Want to thank the fans. It feels like we’re playing in Pakistan.”

Babar Azam | Pakistan captain: “The way every individual has performed, credit to the group. There is always scope for improvement. Our fielding has improved a lot. Middle order has also taken responsibility to win matches. Want to take this confidence into the Tests. Thanks to the fans, we enjoyed these three matches.”