Hasan Ali, Salman Agha lead Pakistan to victory over Bangladesh in first T20I

• Visitors only accumulated 164, bowled out in 19.2 overs.
• Shadab Khan declared Player of the Match.
• Pakistan-Bangladesh second T20I to be played on 30th.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha's fifty and Hasan Ali's five-fer handed Pakistan a dominating 37-run victory over Bangladesh in the first T20I of the series at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing a daunting 202-run target, the visitors could only accumulate 164 before being bowled out in 19.2 overs.

Bangladesh got off to a shaky start to the pursuit as Hasan removed both their openers Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan inside four overs with just 37 runs on the board.

Following the back-to-back blows, skipper Litton Das put together an anchoring 63-run partnership for the third wicket with Towhid Hridoy.

Das, who was the core aggressor of the stand, had an agonising end to his knock as he suffered a soft dismissal off Shadab Khan. He remained the top-scorer for Bangladesh with 30-ball 48, comprising one four and three sixes.

His dismissal sparked a collapse which saw Bangladesh losing wickets at an alarming rate and were eventually bowled out for 167.

Wicketkeeper batter Jaker Ali offered some resistance during the collapse with a gutsy 36 off 21 deliveries with the help of one four and three sixes.

Hasan led Pakistan’s bowling charge with brilliant bowling figures of 5/30, followed by Shadab Khan with two wickets, while Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha and Faheem Ashraf chipped in with one scalp apiece.

Opting to bat first, the home side accumulated 201/7 in their allotted 20 overs, setting Bangladesh a daunting target.

The hosts, however, had a dismal start to their innings as their new opening pair of Saim Ayub (zero) and Fakhar Zaman (one) fell victim to Mahedi Hasan and Shoriful Islam in the first two overs, respectively with just five runs on the board.

Following the early debacle, skipper Agha joined wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris in the middle to launch recovery.

The duo put together 48 runs for the third in 31 deliveries to stabilise the innings until Haris was dismissed by Tanzim Hasan Sakib in the seventh over.

Haris scored 31 off 18 deliveries with the help of four fours and a six.

Agha was then involved in another crucial partnership for Pakistan when he knitted a blazing stand with Hasan Nawaz for the fourth wicket.

The pair added 65 runs in just 32 deliveries until Hasan Mahmud got Agha caught at extra cover in the 12th over.

The captain remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with 56 off 34 deliveries, studded with eight fours and a six.

Nawaz, on the other hand, followed suit just 10 deliveries later when he spooned a regulation catch to Rishad Hossain off his own bowling in the 14th over.

He remained a notable run-getter for the home side with a 22-ball 44, featuring two fours and four sixes.

Vice-captain Shadab Khan then took the reins of Pakistan’s batting expedition with a swashbuckling 48-run knock, laced with five fours and two sixes.

Shoriful Islam was the standout bowler for Bangladesh, taking two wickets, while Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain and Shamim Hossain made one scalp apiece.

With Pakistan now leading the three-match T20I series 1-0, the second fixture is scheduled to be played at the same venue on Friday.