Pakistan set Bangladesh a target of 179, Farhan stars with 63 in third T20I at Mirpur

Pakistan posted 178 for 7 in their 20 overs against Bangladesh in the third and final T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on 24 July, with Sahibzada Farhan top-scoring with a brisk 63 off 41 deliveries. 

Earlier, Bangladesh captain Litton Das won the toss and opted to field first. The hosts, having already sealed the series 2–0, made five changes to their playing XI: Parvez Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mustafizur Rahman were rested. In came Tanzid Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed and Nasum Ahmed. For Nasum, it marked a return to international T20s after a year, having last played in July 2023.

Pakistan also made two changes from the previous match, bringing in Sahibzada Farhan and Hussain Talat for Fakhar Zaman and Khushdil Shah.

Pakistan’s innings began brightly after being put in to bat. The opening pair of Farhan and Saim Ayub added 82 runs in quick time. Farhan, playing his first match of the tour, reached his half-century in just the seventh over, his second in T20Is  with two sixes and a single off Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s first over. In contrast, Saim Ayub contributed 21 off 15 balls before falling to Nasum Ahmed in the ninth over, caught by Shamim Hossain at deep square leg. This gave Bangladesh their first breakthrough.

Following Ayub’s dismissal, Pakistan’s innings began to wobble. Haris survived a controversial DRS call and was dropped once, but he failed to capitalise, managing just 5 off 14 balls before holing out to Nasum at deep third man off Taskin Ahmed. He finished the series with just 9 runs in three matches.Farhan’s dismissal in the 12th over  caught by Mehidy off Nasum  further dented Pakistan’s momentum. He scored 63 from 41 balls, including seven boundaries. Nasum ended with impressive figures of 2 for 22 from his four overs in his comeback game.

Hasan Nawaz, who struck three sixes in a quickfire 33 off 17, was removed by a superb catch from Mehidy Hasan Miraz at mid-off. Moments earlier, he had lofted Shariful Islam for a six but fell two balls later trying another big shot.

Pakistan crossed the 150-mark at Mirpur for the first time in nine years; their previous such scores here came in 2014 and 2016  but they struggled to accelerate in the final overs.

Taskin Ahmed delivered a brilliant final over, conceding just 5 runs and removing both Mohammad Nawaz (first ball) and Faheem Ashraf (third ball), finishing with a double strike. His effort ensured that Pakistan were restricted to 178 for 7, setting Bangladesh a target of 179.