Maaz Sadaqat and Salman Agha lead Pakistan to 274 against Bangladesh in second ODI

DHAKA (Dunya News) – Pakistan posted a competitive total of 274 runs, setting Bangladesh a target of 275 in the second One-Day International of the three-match series at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Friday.

After being put in to bat first by Bangladesh, Pakistan produced a much-improved batting display compared with the opening match of the series. Maaz Sadaqat delivered an aggressive innings at the top of the order, scoring 75 runs from just 46 balls, combining power and timing to lift Pakistan’s scoring rate during the middle overs.

The left-handed batter forged useful partnerships and kept the scoreboard moving with a mix of boundaries and quick running between the wickets. His knock provided the foundation for Pakistan’s innings, allowing the middle order to build towards a competitive total on a surface that offered assistance to bowlers at various stages of the match.

Salman Agha played a composed innings of 64 runs, guiding the visitors through the latter half of the innings. The skipper balanced caution with calculated aggression, stabilising the innings when wickets threatened to halt Pakistan’s momentum. His contribution ensured Pakistan crossed the 270-run mark, setting Bangladesh a challenging chase.

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz won the toss and elected to field first in the second ODI of the three-match series. The decision followed Bangladesh’s dominant performance in the series opener, where the hosts secured a comprehensive eight-wicket victory.

Pakistan had struggled in that opening match, managing to post only 115 runs. Bangladesh chased the modest target comfortably, reaching the total on the first ball of the 16th over.

In that encounter, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf emerged as Pakistan’s leading scorer with 37 runs, while opener Sahibzada Farhan added 27. Maaz Sadaqat contributed 18 runs in the low-scoring contest.

Bangladesh’s chase was spearheaded by opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who played an unbeaten innings of 67 runs to guide the home side to victory. Najmul Hossain Shanto also chipped in with 27 runs as Bangladesh comfortably took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Pakistan’s bowlers found limited success during the first ODI, with fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Jr. claiming one wicket each.

The second match in Dhaka therefore carried significant importance for the visitors, who entered the contest looking to level the series and force a decider in the final match scheduled for March 15 at the same venue.

Squads

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Shamyl Hussain, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Hussain Talat, Abdul Samad, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi (c), Mohammad Wasim Jr. and Haris Rauf.

Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (c), Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman and Nahid Rana.