Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik grabbed two wickets each to lead Pakistan to a comfortable 50-run win over Bangladesh in a low-scoring one-off Twenty20 international on Tuesday.
Bangladesh, replying to Pakistan's modest 135 for seven, narrowly avoided their lowest ever total of 78 runs in this format of the game before finishing their chase on 85 for nine.
Nasir Hossain scored 35 not out to help Bangladesh past their lowest score but it was nowhere near enough against a Pakistani side playing their 50th Twenty20 International.
The home team struggled from the start, losing their first five wickets for only 23 runs.
Off-spinner Hafeez led Pakistan's bowling attack with two for 11 and Bangladesh had to wait until the ninth over for their first boundary.
Malik (two for seven) and Shahid Afridi( one for 15) joined him to strangle Bangladesh on a slow turning track which made batting extremely difficult.
Pakistan also had to curb their attacking instincts and settle for a below-par score despite starting well with a 30-run opening stand.
Hafeez top-scored for Pakistan with 25 off 31 balls and skipper Misbah-ul Haq was 21 not out as Pakistan hit only two boundaries in the last five overs.
Umar Akmal provided the only fluent batting of the match, scoring 20 off 14 balls including three fours.
Leg spinner Alok Kapali was the most successful bowler for Bangladesh with two for 12 and left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan completed figures of two for 24.
Scorecard:
Pakistan:
Mohammad Hafeez b Shakib 25
Imran Farhat c Rahim b Shakib 16
Asad Shafiq c Razzak b Nasir 19
Umar Akmal st Rahim b Kapali 20
Misbah-ul-Haq not out 21
Shoaib Malik c and b Razzak 2
Shahid Afridi c Nasir b Kapali 8
Sohail Tanvir run out 6
Umar Gul not out 4
Extras: (lb-3, w-10, nb-1) 14
Total (for seven wickets, 20 overs) 135
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-61, 3-87, 4-92, 5-98, 6-112, 7-127
Bowling: Shafiul 3-0-20-0, Razzak 4-0-25-1, Shakib 4-1-24-2, Farhad 1-0-10-0, Rubel 2-0-17-0, Nasir 2-0-14-1, Mahmudullah 1-0-10-0, Kapali 3-0-12-2.
Bangladesh:
Naeem Islam lbw b Gul 3
Imrul Kayes run out 2
Alok Kapali c Misbah b Hafeez 0
Shakib Al Hasan b Hafeez 7
Mushfiqur Rahim run out 10
Mohammad Mahmudullah c Akmal b Cheema 2
Nasir Hossain not out 35
Farhad Reza lbw b Afridi 6
Abdur Razzak c Afridi b Malik 9
Shafiul Islam lbw b Malik 0
Rubel Hossain not out 0
Extras: (lb-6, w-5) 11
Total (for nine wickets, 20 overs) 85
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-4, 3-15, 4-17, 5-23, 6-39, 7-51, 8-68, 9-69
Bowling: Hafeez 4-0-11-2, Gul 2-0-7-1, Ajmal 4-0-19-0, Afridi 4-0-15-1, Cheema 2-0-9-1, Tanvir 2-0-11-0, Malik 2-0-7-2.
