Hosts Bangladesh conceded their eighth straight defeat in T20Is and in the process got whitewashed in the three-match T20I series against Pakistan.
Bangladesh in a nail-biter lost the third and final game of the series by five wickets to a clinical Pakistan at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Monday.
The game went till the last over with Bangladesh T20I captain Mahmudullah taking charge to defend eight runs when Pakistan were chasing 125.
With set batsman Haider Ali in the middle with Sarfaraz Ahmed, the first ball of the over went for a dot while in the next two deliveries both the batsmen holed out in the deep to provide off-spinner Mahmudullah a hat-trick chance and more importantly, tilted the balance of the game.
Mahmudullah’s fourth ball, which was delivered from over the wicket against the right-handed batter, went for a six as new batter Iftikhar Ahmed swung it over the bowler’s head.
Mahmudullah bounced back well in the next delivery, which was bowled from round the wicket, as Iftikhar made a wild slog only to be caught inside the 30-yard circle of the offside.
The most dramatic scene occurred in the next few moments.
Mahmudullah bowled the last ball from way outside the crease and the batter was foxed as his stumps were disturbed.
However, Mohammad Nawaz, the batter, claimed he was not ready by lifting his bat after the ball had pitched on the pitch.
For a moment Bangladeshi fielders were agitated but Mahmudullah was convinced by the batsman and as a result the ball was declared dead.
Nawaz the southpaw kept his cool as he launched the re-taken delivery over the off side for a four to clinch the match and clean sweep of the series.
Going into the final five overs, Pakistan needed 42.
The 16th over of debutant pacer Shahidul Islam went for 16 runs and a wicket – of opener Mohammad Rizwan - but he alongside Taskin Ahmed later made the home team come back into the game by giving away only 18 runs in the next three overs and leave the rest to Mahmudullah.
Bangladesh in the first part of the chase kept things tight.
Despite losing opener Babar Azam (19) in the seventh over, Pakistan were kept on the driving seat by Rizwan and Haider.
Rizwan before his departure in the 16th over posted 40 off 43 and added 51 for the second wicket with Haider, who finished with a 38-ball 45 laced with three boundaries and two over boundaries.
All-rounder Mahmudullah bowling the crucial one over finished with most wickets in the Bangladesh attack – three – while Shahidul finished with one conceding 33 runs in 3.5 overs in his maiden international appearance.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s worries with the batting unit continued as the home side after choosing to bat first registered only 124 on the board.
Skipper Mahmudullah won the toss for the third time in the series and made the right decision on the typical slow and low surface in Mirpur – which is to defend.
But the fate of the home team remained unchanged as they struggled with the bat and could post only a below par total for a better shaped Pakistan to chase.
Bangladesh lost their first wicket, that of Nazmul Hossain Shanto for five runs, in the second over to debutant right-arm pacer Shahnawaz Dahani.
The other opener Mohammad Naim however, remained till the 19th over of the innings with a sloth approach and was part of three partnerships – first for 30 runs with Shamim Hossain for the second wicket.
Shamim in a surprising decision got promoted to bat at No 3.
The left-hander though got off to a fluent start hitting a boundary off the first ball he faced; he scored just one in the next nine balls before striking two consecutive boundaries off Dahani in the fourth over and perished in the eighth to Usman Qadir following a 23-ball 22.
Naim stitched together the second partnership with Afif Hossain (20 off 21) of 43 runs for the third wicket and then the third of 31 runs with Mahmudullah (12).
Naim departed in the third ball of the 19th over to leave Bangladesh on 111 for four.
Bangladesh lost three more wickets in the last nine balls of the innings and added only 13 to the board.
Naim finished as the top-scorer for the hosts with a 50-ball 47 involving two boundaries and as many boundaries.
The focus will now shift to red-ball cricket with Bangladesh set to host Pakistan for a two-match Test series.
The first Test is scheduled to begin in Chittagong Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium this Friday.