Babar, Hafeez star as Pakistan score 9-wicket win over Bangladesh, seal T20I series 2-0

LAHORE (92 News) – Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by nine wickets in the second T20 International at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Pakistan achieved the target for the loss of one wicket, with 20 balls remaining. Babar Azam hit 66 runs off 44 balls with the help of seven fours and one wicket. Muhammad Hafeez’s 67 off 49 balls aided by nine fours and one six paved the way for easy victory. Earlier batting first after winning the toss, Bangladesh scored 136 runs for the loss six wicket in the stipulated 20 overs. Tamim Iqbal smashed 65 runs off 53 balls laced with seven four and one six. Afif Hussain (21) and Mahmudullah (12) were the other main contributors. Muhammad Hasnain took two wickets, while Sheheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan got one wicket each. Babar Azam, who was declared the Man of the Match for his unbeaten half-century, said: "When you are in form, you should continue it. Credit for my captaincy goes to the players, the seniors and bowlers make it easy for me. The series win was much-needed, we played a lot of youngsters, the idea was to increase our talent pool to give us more options going into the World Cup. We will try to give players who haven't got a chance yet on Monday." Mahmudullah said: “Disappointed to lose, didn't apply ourselves with the bat, except for Tamim. Should've scored 150-160. Intent was there, credit to Pakistan's bowlers. We didn't finish off well. Not sure yet how we'll go for the last game, maybe we'll try to play some reserves, but we need to come hard at them and win the game.” Earlier in the first T20I on Saturday, Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by five wickets. Shoaib Malik hit 58 to pave the way for the victory. The 37-year-old had made his way to the middle with Pakistan two down for 35 runs in five overs in their pursuit of 142. Malik crafted crucial partnerships with debutant Ahsan Ali, who made 36 runs from 32 balls, and Iftikhar Ahmed (16 off 13) which worth 46 and 36, respectively, over the course of his 45-ball innings. Malik smashed five fours in his seventh T20I half-century as Pakistan chased down the target with three balls spare. Bangladesh’s right-arm pacer Shafiul Islam took two for 27, while Mustafizur Rehman, Al-Amin Hossain and Aminul Islam picked up a wicket each. Earlier, a solid bowling performance by Pakistan, in the latter half of the Bangladesh innings, restricted the visitors to 141 for five after the opening pair of Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Naim had knitted a 71-run partnership in 11 overs. Tamim scored 39 off 34 balls, while Naim made 43 runs out of 41 balls at the back of three fours and two sixes. Shaheen Shah Afridi, debutant Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan picked up a wicket each. For leading Pakistan to a victory, Shoaib Malik was declared Player of the Match.