Bangladesh clinch ODI series with 11-run win over Pakistan

Bangladesh clinched a three-match series against Pakistan 2-1 as the Green Shirts faced a narrow defeat in the third one-day international (ODI) match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday. Chasing a total of 291 runs, Pakistan’s batters fell short by 11 runs as a fighting 106-run knock by Salman Agha went in vain. Green Shirts lost early wickets as openers Sahizada Farhaan and Maaz Sadaqat went back to the pavilion after scoring just six runs each. Debutant Saad Masood scored 38 runs, while captain Shaheen Afridi added 37 runs to the scoreboard. Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed’s heroic 4-wicket haul was impressive as he also took the key wicket of Salman Agha, who was looking unswerving to outdo the winning mark. Mustafizur Rehman also grabbed three wickets, while Nahid Rana managed to secure two. Winning the toss, the visitors decided to bowl first in the series decider. Bangladesh’s openers provided a sturdy start to the innings with Tanzid Hasan scoring his maiden ODI century, which also earned him the man of the match award. Towhid Hridoy and Litton Das added 48 and 41 runs, respectively, for Bangladesh, which helped the tally to reach the 290-run mark at the end of 50 overs at a loss of five wickets. Haris Rauf took three wickets for Pakistan while Afridi and Abrar Ahmed claimed one wicket each. Green Shirts had made a comeback in the series by defeating the hosts in the second ODI match after a hammering eight-wicket loss in the series opener, in which Pakistan’s batting lineup was bundled up at a total of just 114 runs.