Bangladesh Beats Pakistan by Seven Wickets in First T20I at Mirpur

Bangladesh secured a convincing seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first T20I of their three-match series at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, successfully defending a low total of 110 thanks to strong bowling performances from Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman and an unbeaten half-century from opener Parvez Hossain Emon. Pakistan's batting struggled throughout, with early wickets falling quickly and key players like Fakhar Zaman falling victim to critical mistakes, including a notable run-out due to a mix-up with Khushdil Shah. Pakistan entered the series missing key players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi but fielded a balanced squad led by Salman Ali Agha, aiming to replicate their earlier 3-0 series win over Bangladesh. The Mirpur pitch remains a challenging surface known for its low-scoring nature and unpredictability, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and tactical flexibility for both sides. Bangladesh, led by Litton Das, have been in good form, recently winning a series in Sri Lanka and showing intent to move away from spin-tailored conditions towards more balanced contests. Historically, Pakistan has dominated the T20I head-to-head against Bangladesh, but the home advantage and momentum appear to have shifted the dynamics in this closely watched South Asian rivalry.