Pakistan Shaheens clinched a hard-fought 148-run victory over Bangladesh A in the final hour of play on day four of the first four-day match at the DXC Arena on Monday. Shaheens’ bowlers took all 10 wickets of Bangladesh A in 79.2 overs, with Mehran Mumtaz and Shahnawaz Dahani sharing seven wickets between them.
Starting the day needing 408 runs to win or bat out the day to save the game, Bangladesh A’s opening batters extended their overnight score of 20-0 to a fifty-run partnership. Dahani provided the initial breakthrough, dismissing Shadman Islam for 26 runs off 65 balls in the 22nd over.
The Shaheens’ bowling attack then toiled for another 21.1 overs before Mehran claimed the crucial wicket of Parvez Hossain Emon, who had scored 57 runs off 138 balls, including six fours and two sixes. Mehran soon followed up by trapping Aich Mollah for four runs in the 50th over.
A crucial 57-run partnership between Amite Hasan and Shahadat Hossain threatened Shaheens’ victory bid. However, Dahani struck again to remove the well-set Amite, who had scored 71 runs off 102 balls with 14 boundaries, in the 63rd over. Dahani then dismissed Ariful Islam for four runs in the 65th over, leaving Shaheens with five wickets needed to secure the win.
Mehran delivered a pivotal double blow in the 71st over, ending Shahadat’s resilient innings of 42 runs off 62 balls and removing Hasan Murad for a duck, leaving Bangladesh A struggling at 221-7.
Despite some resistance from Ripon Mondol, who scored an unbeaten 43 off 30 balls with seven boundaries, and Mahidul Islam, who added 15 runs off 66 balls, Shaheens wrapped up the innings. Bangladesh A was bowled out for 279 in 86.2 overs. Mehran Mumtaz finished with figures of 4-84, while Shahnawaz Dahani took 3-57. Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali each picked up one wicket.
The second four-day match between Pakistan Shaheens and Bangladesh A will begin on Friday, 26 July, at the same venue.
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