BAN VS PAK: Maaz Sadaqat’s Blazing 50 Gives Pakistan A Solid Start

Maaz Sadaqat on his second match looked a class apart and tore apart Bangladesh bowlers in the powerplay. His blazing 75 off 46 balls meant Pakistan scored 85 in the first 10 overs and looked unstoppable. But after his exit, Bangladesh have pegged things back by picking up wickets and the match is nicely poised at the moment as we head to the second half of the innings.

Maaz Sadaqat’s maiden electrifying fifty gives Pakistan a flying start in first powerplay. 

Put into bat first for the second game in a row, Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat came out to open for Pakistan while Taskin Ahmed had ball in hand for Bangladesh. Farhan and Pakistan got off the mark with a boundary with a flick through deep midwicket. Mustafizur Rahman came onto bowl from the other end as Sadaqat welcomed with a lean into the drive through covers for a boundary. Sadaqat did an action replay of the previous ball with another crisp cover drive for another boundary.

Taskin continued as Sadaqat swivelled around to the back of the length delivery and pulled it over deep backward square leg for the maximum. What was worse for the bowler Taskin was it was a no ball. Free Hit came up next which yielded a couple of runs to the batting side. Sadaqat then shuffled across towards the off-stump and lifted the ball over deep midwicket for the maximum. Mustafizur continued as the fuller ball outside off-stump was swung hard by Sadaqat as the ball got the thick outside edge and flew away to the deep third man fence.

Nahid Rana came into the attack next inside 5 overs. Sadaqat was on a roll and in the zone now as he smashed the full ball down the ground over the bowler’s head for the maximum. Mustafizur continued and for a change bowled a quiet over. Rana continued and felt that he had gotten rid of Farhan LBW. The batter reviewed and on replays it was shown that the ball was going over the stumps as the right-hander survived a scare. The 50 came up for Pakistan in 6.4 overs.

Taskin returned to the attack as an appeal for caught behind against Sadaqat was turned down. Bangladesh reviewed in hope and burnt it as there was flat line and the review was lost in the process. Sadaqat was punishing the loose balls now as he got it in the slot and smashed it down the ground over long-on for the maximum. Rana continued as Sadaqat brought up his maiden ODI fifty in 31 balls as the southpaw backed away and pulled it away towards deep midwicket for a boundary.

Sadaqat then got inside the line and used the pace of the bowler to help it on its way over deep fine leg for the maximum. Rana gifted 5 wides as a bonus to the batting side as if they needed it at this stage. Farhan finally got into the act as leaned forward to the pitch of the ball and drove it through covers for a boundary. Mustafizur Rahman came back to bowl the final over of powerplay.

Sadaqat elegantly leaned into the drive behind point for a boundary. At the completion of the first powerplay of 10 overs, Pakistan were flying high at 85/0 with Sadaqat unbeaten on 63 off 35 balls while Farhan was playing second fiddle unbeaten on 15 off 26 balls.

Maaz Sadaqat falls but Pakistan consolidates their position till over number 15. 

Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz came into the attack post the powerplay. Sadaqat was on a roll as he rocked back and cut the length delivery on off-stump to deep third man region for a boundary. Mustafizur continued as Sadaqat slapped the ball towards deep extra cover region as good running enabled a triple. The 100 came up for Pakistan in 12.2 overs and of the partnership as well. Miraz finally got a breakthrough for Bangladesh as he removed the dangerous Sadaqat for 75 off 46 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes to his name as the batter went for a premeditated scoop shot and got it off the toe end of the bat with the ball lobbing over his hand. Litton took an easy catch.

Shamyl Hussain came out to bat next as Drinks was taken at this point in the completion of 13 overs. Taskin Ahmed returned to the attack and bowled a decent over. Miraz also bowled a quiet over as Pakistan reached 111/1 in 15 overs with Farhan unbeaten on 26 off 40 balls and Hussain unbeaten on 2 off 5 balls.

Bangladesh strikes twice to peg Pakistan back a little bit at the halfway stage of the game. 

Taskin Ahmed continued and bowled a decent over. Mehidy Hasan Miraz continued and bowled a tight over. Taskin continued and got the breakthrough for Bangladesh as he removed Farhan for 31 off 46 balls with 2 fours to his name as the batter tried to go over mid-off but ended up slicing it towards deep third man where Towhid Hridoy ran in the deep and took a good diving catch inches from the ground. Mohammad Rizwan came to the crease next.

Miraz continued and bowled a maiden over to Hussain. Nahid Rana came back into the attack next and removed Hussain for 6 off 22 balls as the batter went for the pull shot but was hurried by the pacer and the top edge went down to deep third man where Rahman took the catch easily. Salman Ali Agha came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.

Rishad Hossain came into the attack for the first time today. He bowled a good first over. Rana continued as Rizwan broke the shackles by flicking the ball on the pads to the deep midwicket fence for a boundary. Rishad continued and bowled another quiet over. Rana continued as Agha got a streaky boundary away as he drove without any foot movement as the ball flew off the outside edge to the deep backward point fence.

Rishad continued to bowl the 25th over as Agha took advantage of a loose ball and pulled the googly which was shorter in length over deep midwicket for the maximum flat and hard. At the halfway stage of the innings, Pakistan were 147/3 in 25 overs with Salman Ali Agha unbeaten on 18 off 17 balls and Rizwan unbeaten on 8 off 20 balls.

What Lies Ahead. 

Pakistan had gotten off to a flier thanks to Maaz Sadaqat who made a blazing 75. But from 85/0 in 10 overs, Bangladesh have done well to peg Pakistan back and keep them to 147/3 in 25 overs. But the visitors have wickets in hand and would like to get the score way past 300. Bangladesh will aim to take more wickets in clusters and keep the score below 300 if possible. Interesting second half of the innings is coming up for us.

Let’s see how things go from here.

Also Read: BAN VS PAK: Mike Hesson Admits Pakistan’s Batting Was Exposed In 1st ODI.