Bangladesh Fall Short in Final T20I, Pakistan Avoid Whitewash with Dominant Win

After clean-sweeping Bangladesh 3-0 in Lahore earlier in May-June, Pakistan faced a chance of being whitewashed on Bangladesh soil. But the visitors avoided that fate with a dominant 74-run win in the third and final T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur, denying the Tigers a clean sweep.

Winning the toss and batting first, Pakistan posted a solid total of 178 for 7. Bangladesh needed a strong performance with the bat to complete the whitewash, but a dismal batting collapse saw them all out for just 104, failing to capitalize on their 2-0 series lead.

Bangladesh’s innings began in the worst possible fashion as Tanzid Tamim departed for a duck. Fellow opener Mohammad Naim Sheikh, despite getting set, couldn’t go past 10 runs. Captain Litton Das managed just 8 off 8 deliveries, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz failed to make an impact, scoring only 9 before falling to Faheem Ashraf.

The Tigers were reeling at 25/5 inside the powerplay. Salman Mirza bowled both Jaker Ali and Sheikh Mehedi Hasan in consecutive deliveries. Shamim Hossain Patwari also fell cheaply for 5, losing his stumps to Salman Ali Agha.

Nasum Ahmed could score only 9 off 13 balls, and Taskin Ahmed made 7 from 6. Only Mohammad Saifuddin, batting at the tail, provided resistance, finishing unbeaten on 35 off 34 balls, reducing the margin of defeat. Shariful Islam gave him some support, but Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 104.

Earlier, after being sent in to bat, Pakistan built a strong foundation with an 82-run opening stand. Nasum Ahmed, returning to the XI, gave Bangladesh their first breakthrough by dismissing Saim Ayub for 21 off 15. Shamim Patwari took the catch at deep square leg.

Nasum struck again in the 12th over, removing the other opener, Sahibzada Farhan, who scored a brisk 63 off 29 balls. Pakistan’s wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris failed once again, scoring just 5 off 14 balls without a boundary—following up his earlier scores of 4 and 0 in the series.

Hasan Nawaz hit 33 off 17 balls, including 3 sixes and a four, before Shariful Islam dismissed him. In the very next over, Mohammad Saifuddin removed Hussain Talat, who scored just 1 off 4 balls. Mohammad Nawaz contributed a quick 27 off 16 balls before falling to Taskin Ahmed on the first ball of the final over.

Taskin then removed Faheem Ashraf in the same over, who hit a boundary on the first ball and was caught at the boundary on the next delivery trying another big shot.

Despite the series loss, Pakistan ended the tour on a high note, denying Bangladesh a historic whitewash on home soil.