Bangladesh clinches a T20 series victory over Pakistan for first time
Dhaka (Bangladesh), Jul 22 (AP): Jaker Ali struck a fighting half-century as Bangladesh clinched a T20 series victory over Pakistan for the first time with Tuesday's eight-run win.
Jaker anchored the innings with sustained aggression to hit 55 runs off 48 balls with five sixes, helping Bangladesh recover from a shaky start to post 133 before being all out on a sluggish wicket.
Chasing 134, Pakistan's top six batters were out for single digits before Faheem Ashraf waged a lone battle.
He raised his maiden 50 but was out in the next delivery with his 32 ball-51, leaving his team 13 runs away from a series-leveling victory in the last over.
Ahmed Daniyal (17) hit a four in the first ball of the last over to give Pakistan another glimmer of hope before holing out to mid-wicket on the next ball off Mustafizur Rahman as Pakistan was bowled out for 125 in 19.2 overs.
Bangladesh won the first match of the series by seven wickets.
A pre-match minute's silence was held with both teams and officials wearing black armbands for victims of a plane crash in the Bangladesh capital Monday.
Asked to bat first, Bangladesh slumped to 25-4 with debutant Ahmed Danyal (2-23) and Salman Mirza (2-17), playing his second match tormenting the opponents with tight line and length.
Jaker resisted with the support from Mahedi Hasan as the duo added 53 runs for the fifth wicket, giving Bangladesh a platform.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz broke the partnership with the wicket of Mahedi who hit 33 off 25, leaving Bangladesh at 81-5 at 14th over.
Jaker then guided the lower order astutely and raised his third fifty from 46 balls, lofting Abbas Afridi for a six over long-on region.
He was dismissed in the last ball of the innings, top-edging a slower delivery of Afridi who ended with 2-37.
Pacers Shoriful Islam (3-17), Tanzim Hasan (2-23) and offspinner Mahedi Hasan (2-25) kept Pakistan at bay, putting a disciplined bowling.
But Pakistan batters played rash shots, much like the first T20 and found them in precarious 30-6 in 10th over with all six batters being out for single digits.
Fahim Ashraf stood tall against a spirited Bangladesh attack, raising the prospect of an unlikely victory with Khushdil Shah (13) and Abbas Afridi (19) giving him little support.
He brought up his maiden fifty from 31 deliveries, hoicking legspinner Rishad Hossain over long on for a six.
However Rishad (1-42) took the sweet revenge in the next delivery by crashing his stump as Pakistan's chance to win the game was dented.
The third and final match is on Thursday.
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At least 16 killed in explosion due to suspected gas leakage in Pak’s Karachi
Karachi (PTI): At least 16 people, including many children, were killed and 14 others injured when a suspected gas leakage led to an explosion in a residential building in Pakistan's Karachi on Thursday morning.
“The explosion took place around 4:30 am on the first floor of the building located in the Old Soldier Bazar area when everyone was awake for Sehri time,” police official Jamshed Asher said.
The first day of Ramzan is being observed in Pakistan today.
The police official said that the reason for the explosion apparently was a gas leakage.
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Due to gas shortage in Pakistan’s biggest city, many families especially in lower income residential areas use liquid petroleum gas cylinders at their homes.
Police surgeon Dr Samaiya Syed confirmed that they have received 14 bodies so far from the blast site while 14 injured are under treatment.
The explosion caused a part of the building structure to collapse due to its dilapidated condition.
“We are still searching through the rubble and debris to see if there are any more bodies or survivors,” Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan said.
The deceased include at least nine children aged between two and 17 while the injured also include seven children.
This is the second major tragedy to occur in Karachi. Last month, a fire broke out in the basement of the Gul Shopping Plaza, a wholesale and retail market, in the Saddar area killing at least 79 people and leaving scores injured.
