Pakistan’s poor outing in the first T20I against Bangladesh has sparked major criticism back home—this time from former skipper Rashid Latif, who pointed fingers at the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for hurting the country’s cricket structure.
Following Pakistan’s seven-wicket loss in the series opener on Sunday, Latif took to X (formerly Twitter) and voiced his frustration.
“The T20 national leagues of all countries have benefited their national teams, only the PSL is harming the PCB,” Latif posted.
Bangladesh Cruise to Victory After Early Jitters
Despite a shaky start in their chase of 111, Bangladesh pulled off a convincing win to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Debutant Salman Mirza gave Pakistan early hope with two quick wickets, removing Tanzid Hasan and skipper Litton Das for just one run each. Bangladesh were in trouble at 7/2 in just over two overs.
But Parvez Hossain Emon and Towhid Hridoy built a crucial 73-run partnership that turned the game around. Hridoy fell for 36, but Emon stayed calm and reached his second T20I fifty, finishing unbeaten on 56. Jaker Ali added the finishing touches with a quick 15 off 10 balls as Bangladesh chased down the target in just 15.3 overs.
Pakistan’s Batting Collapses After Fakhar’s Start
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting unit faltered badly after a decent start. Fakhar Zaman was the lone standout with a gritty 44 off 34 balls, but the rest of the lineup crumbled. From 51/2, the team lost their last eight wickets for just 59 runs and were bowled out for 110 in 19.5 overs—Pakistan’s lowest-ever T20I total against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s bowlers were clinical. Taskin Ahmed led the charge with figures of 3/22, while Mustafizur Rahman stifled the middle-order with 2/6 in his three overs.
What’s Next?
The teams return to the same venue for the second T20I on Tuesday. With Bangladesh leading the series 1-0, Pakistan will need to regroup quickly—both on the field and in the dugout.
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