By our correspondent
LAHORE: Stumper Mohammad Haris blasted his maiden hundred to enable Pakistan complete a whitewash of Bangladesh when they defeated the visitors by seven wickets in the third and final game of the three-match T20I series at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Sunday night.
In front of a huge crowd Haris smashed 107 not out off just 46 balls as Pakistan chased the 197-run target with 16 balls to spare after losing three wickets in the process.
Earlier, Bangladesh rode on the batting heroics of Parvez Hossain Emon (66) and Tanzid Hasan (42) to post 196-6.
Set to chase a fighting total Pakistan lost Sahibzada Farhan (1) early when he was held at deep square-leg by Mehidy Hasan Miraz off the bowling of leg-spinner Rishad Hossain in the first over.
However at this stage Mohammad Haris and Saim Ayub batted extremely well and shared 92 off 53 balls for the second wicket association to give a solid foundation to the hosts. It was Tanzim Hasan Sakib who broke the stand by getting rid of Saim for 29-ball 45, smashing four sixes and two fours.
Haris then stitched 37 runs for the third wicket association with Hasan Nawaz who chipped in with a fiery 13-ball 26, featuring two sixes and two fours.
Haris then dominated the 60-run fourth wicket unbeaten stand with Salman Ali Agha who remained not out on a 12-ball 15.
Haris’s knock was the corner stone of Pakistan’s chase. Haris, who completed his fifty off 25 balls, reached his hundred off 45 deliveries when he took a couple off the bowling of Hasan Mahmud in the 17th over.
This was the 17th game from Haris and his previous best was 41.
Haris smashed seven sixes and eight fours in his excellent knock.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the pick of the bowlers with 2-26 in three overs while Tanzim Hasan Sakib got 1-36 in three overs.
Debutant Khaled Ahmed conceded 37 runs on four overs on his debut.
Pakistan had last clean-swept West Indies at home in December 2021.
Earlier, openers Parvez Hossain Emon (66) and Tanzid Hasan (42) did a fantastic job with the willow to enable Bangladesh pile-up a decent total 196-6.
This is also the highest total from Bangladesh against Pakistan in T20I.
After being invited to bat first both the openers did a superb job and added 110 runs off 74 balls for the opening stand to provide a solid platform to the visitors who have already lost their initial two matches.
This was also the highest first wicket stand of Bangladesh against Pakistan beating the previous 71 which was stitched by Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Naim on January 24, 2020, also at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.
This is the second highest partnership for the first wicket against any team in T20I from Bangladesh.
Faheem Ashraf broke the vital stand in the eleventh over when he had Tanzid, held by Abrar Ahmed. Tanzid, who was dropped by Faheem Ashraf off Hasan Ali when on six, smashed three sixes and three fours in his 32-ball 42
In the next over leggie Shadab Khan got rid of Parvez Hossain Emon who smashed a 34-ball 66, having hit four sixes and seven fours.
Parvez smacked Saim Ayub for two sixes and a four in the third over which produced 19 runs.
He then hit Abrar Ahmed for a six and two fours in the eighth over which yielded 16 runs.
Skipper Litton Das then took charge and along with Towhid Hridoy shared 49 off 32 balls for the third wicket association before being bowled by Hasan Ali.
Das struck one six and one four in his 18-ball 22.
Towhid also fell soon afterwards when he was undone by Abbas Afridi with Saim Ayub taking an easy catch in the deep. Towhid struck one six and two fours in his 18-ball 25.
Jaker Ali in the end hammered a nine-ball 15 not out striking one six and one four.
Bangladesh scored 53 without loss in the powerplay, they reached 99 without loss in ten overs and were 150-2 in 15 overs. They scored 46 in the last five overs.
Abbas Afridi (2-26 in four overs) and Hasan Ali (2-38 in four overs ) were the pick of the bowlers.
Faheem Ashraf got 1-41 in four overs while Shadab Khan captured 1-26 in three overs.
Earlier Pakistan made one change with Abbas Afridi replacing Haris Rauf. Bangladesh brought in debutant Khaled Ahmed in place of Shoriful Islam who sustained injury in the previous show which had forced him to leave the field after bowling only three balls.
