Rizwan, Babar steer Pakistan to a well-deserved win
By our correspondent
CHRISTCHURCH: Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam and Mohammad Nawaz did a fine job with the bat as Pakistan downed Bangladesh by seven wickets in their last league game of the Tri-series here on Thursday.
Rizwan (69) and Babar (55) provided a solid 101-run opening stand in 75 balls which enabled the Green-shirts race to the 174-run target with just one ball to spare after losing three wickets in the process.
Pakistan needed eight runs from the last over of Saifuddin and one off the last two balls when Nawaz smashed a four to bring in a fantastic win.
Nawaz struck five fours and one six in his 20-ball 45. Earlier it was Babar and Rizwan who did the main damage by sharing their eighth century partnership.
Babar was the first to go when he was undone by Hasan Mahmud for another gritty fifty. He struck nine fours in his 40-ball knock. Haider Ali (0) once again failed to play a good innings and bowled by Hasan Mehmud.
However, at this stage Nawaz and Rizwan built the partnership as the duo added 64 in 36 balls for the third wicket association to bring their side very close to the target. Rizwan fell in the 19th over by Soumya Sarkar, for his second fifty in the series.
He struck four fours from 56 balls. Hasan Mehmud was the pick of the bowlers with 2-27.
Earlier after opting to bat first Bangladesh lost two quick wickets for 41 on the board. However, at this stage Litton Das (69) and skipper Shakib Al Hasan (68) batted with great responsibility, sharing 88 in the third wicket stand which took them to a very good total.
Litton struck six fours and two sixes from 69 balls while Shakib hammered seven fours and three sixes from 42 deliveries. Fast bowlers Naseem Shah (2-27) and Mohammad Wasim Junior (2-33) were the star performers with the leather.
Mohammad Nawaz got 1-37 in his three overs. Mohammad Rizwan was declared as man of the match for his well-crafted fifty.