BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan blind cricket team registered a thumping seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh to claim back-to-back wins in the ongoing International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Blind Games on Tuesday.
Bangladesh, opting to bat first, could raise 137/6 in the allotted 20 overs despite Arif Hossain’s cautious half-century.
Bangladesh got off to a dismal start to their innings as they lost half of their side in the seventh over with just 37 runs on the board.
Following the slump, Arif Hossain and skipper MM Rashid launched an astounding as the pair knitted a 97-run partnership.
Hossain spearheaded the sixth-wicket stand and notched up his half-century in the process while Rashid rotated the strike before Badar Munir removed him in the final over.
Rashid scored a cautious 31 off 33 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.
Hossain, on the other hand, carried his bat all the way through with a 56-ball 60 and top-scored for Bangladesh.
Badar Munir and Matiullah led the bowling attack for Pakistan with two wickets each while MS Zaib made one scalp.
Set to chase 138, Pakistan blind cricket team comfortably chased down the total for the loss of just three wickets and 49 balls to spare.
In the pursuit, Pakistan too, had a dismal start as they lost three wickets for 33 runs in the third over after Matiullah (15), Naimat Ullah (1) and Kamran Akhter (0) perished cheaply.
With the side reeling at 33/3 inside the powerplay, Riasat Khan was then joined by Badar Munir at the crease and the pair knitted a match-winning partnership.
The duo of Riasat and Badar dominated the Bangladesh bowlers and launched a counterattack with belligerent hitting before steering Pakistan blind cricket team to a convincing victory in the 12th over.
Riasat Khan top-scored for Pakistan with a 35-ball 60, hitting a boundary while Munir scored 41 from 26 balls, laced up with three boundaries and a six.
Notably, this was Pakistan blind cricket team’s second consecutive victory in the ongoing World Blind Games as the green shirts edged arch-rivals India by 18 runs in their campaign opener.
Pakistan next face Australia in their third match on Wednesday (Today).
READ: Shoaib Malik and A Sports join hands for exciting new cricket coaching show