Masterclass in Lahore: Sahibzada Farhan’s Brilliance and Pakistan’s All-Round Supremacy Crush Bangladesh On a balmy evening under the floodlights at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan orchestrated a clinical T20 performance, dismantling Bangladesh by 57 runs in the second T20I of the three-match series. With this emphatic victory, Pakistan not only took an unassailable 2-0 lead but sent a clear message about the depth of talent and tactical maturity emerging in their white-ball setup
The night was defined by Sahibzada Farhan’s fearless yet composed strokeplay, a middle-order flourish by Hasan Nawaz, and a well-structured bowling performance that dismantled the Bangladeshi batting unit with precision. ### **Pakistan’s Innings: 201/6 in 20 Overs – Controlled Aggression with Tactical Depth** Choosing to bat first on a traditionally high-scoring venue, Pakistan blended intent with discipline, exhibiting a batting approach that was both aggressive and calculated. * **Sahibzada Farhan**, elevated to a key top-order role, justified the faith placed in him with a scintillating 74 off just 41 balls. What set his innings apart wasn’t just the six towering sixes he struck, but the ability to rotate strike during spin-heavy middle overs, maintaining a strike rate of **180.48** without reckless shot selection. * **Mohammad Haris** complemented Farhan perfectly, contributing a fiery 41 from 25 deliveries, demonstrating how rapid partnerships can reshape the innings. Their second-wicket stand of 103 in just 50 balls laid the groundwork for a formidable total. * **Hasan Nawaz**, relatively new to the international scene, showcased tremendous maturity with an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls. His ability to accelerate in the death overs, particularly against pace, ensured Pakistan crossed the psychological 200-run barrier. Despite some ineffective bowling from the visitors, there were glimpses of resistance—**Tanzim Hasan Sakib** and **Hasan Mahmud** claimed two wickets each but were unable to prevent the onslaught as Pakistan posted a commanding **201/6**. — ### **Bangladesh Bowling Summary:** * Tanzim Hasan Sakib – 4-0-36-2 * Hasan Mahmud – 4-0-47-2 * Rishad Hossain – 4-0-50-1 * Shamim Hossain & Mehidy Hasan Miraz – Economically vulnerable, unable to contain the flow — ### **Bangladesh’s Chase: 144 All Out in 19 Overs – A Tale of Collapse and a Lone Resistance** Chasing 202 on a lively Lahore surface was never going to be a straightforward proposition. The key for Bangladesh was to bat deep and maintain wickets through the powerplay. Instead, they collapsed under scoreboard pressure, losing three wickets inside six overs, which left the middle order exposed. * **Tanzid Hasan** offered an aggressive 33 off 19 balls but lacked support from the other end. Once he was dismissed, Bangladesh’s innings spiraled, losing **5 wickets for just 12 runs** in a devastating collapse. * The only meaningful resistance came from **Tanzim Hasan Sakib**, who followed his two wickets with a counterattacking 50 off 31 balls. His five sixes were some of the cleanest strikes of the evening and momentarily gave Bangladesh a glimmer of hope. However, the lack of partnerships around him rendered his innings an isolated act of defiance. Pakistan’s bowling was intelligently rotated, with multiple contributors sharing the workload and control. — ### **Pakistan Bowling Summary:** * Abrar Ahmed – 4-0-19-3 (the game-changer in the middle overs with precise length and drift) * Faheem Ashraf – 2-0-8-1 (swinging the new ball with discipline) * Shadab Khan – 2-0-13-1 (veteran control and game awareness) * Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf – each claiming a wicket to maintain relentless pressure Bangladesh eventually folded for **144 in 19 overs**, conceding the game by 57 runs. — Match Summary: * **Pakistan**: 201/6 (20 overs) * Sahibzada Farhan 74 (41), Hasan Nawaz 51\* (26), Mohammad Haris 41 (25) * **Bangladesh**: 144 all out (19 overs) * Tanzim Hasan Sakib 50 (31), Tanzid Hasan 33 (19) * **Result**: Pakistan won by **57 runs** * **Player of the Match**: **Sahibzada Farhan** ### **Tactical Takeaways & Series Outlook** This match was a microcosm of Pakistan’s T20 vision—a combination of fearlessness at the top, acceleration in the back end, and versatility in their bowling attack. They showed that even in a format as unpredictable as T20, structure and game intelligence can dominate flair when executed properly. Bangladesh, on the other hand, continue to grapple with middle-order inconsistency and death-over inefficiency. The absence of a defined finishing strategy and over-reliance on individual brilliance has cost them dearly. With the series now at **2-0**, Pakistan will head into the third T20I with a chance to whitewash Bangladesh and test their bench strength. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will be desperate to salvage pride and identify some positives before returning home.