Rookie allrounder Sadaqat leads Pakistan to series-levelling win against Bangladesh

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DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Novice allrounder Maaz Sadaqat led Pakistan to a series-levelling 128-run win against Bangladesh in a rain-affected second one-day international on Friday.

The 20-year-old Sadaqat, playing his second ODI, hit a 46-ball 75 and grabbed 3-23 with his left-arm spin to be an easy pick for player of the match.

After Sadaqat, Pakistan lost its last seven wickets for 43 runs and was bowled out for 274 in 47.3 overs. Lightning and a hailstorm delayed play for well over two hours and Bangladesh’s target was revised to 243 runs in 32 overs. But Bangladesh was all out for 114.

Bangladesh won the first ODI by eight wickets after a new-look Pakistan with four debutants was also bowled out for 114. The series decider will be on Sunday at the same venue.

“The last game didn’t go our way (so) the simple message was to go and play your natural game,” Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said. “The pitch was helpful for fast bowlers, that’s why we played four of them … we lost wickets in the middle overs and we need to improve that.”

Sadaqat excels with ball

Bangladesh was 27-3 and Shah Afridi had two wickets when the long delay started. On resumption, Sadaqat trapped top-scorer Litton Das (41) lbw in his second over; Afif Hossain was brilliantly snapped up low by Salman Ali Agha at midwicket and Rishad Hossain was clean bowled by a superb arm ball.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, the only change by Pakistan from the first game, then cleaned up the tail with 3-26 and Bangladesh was dismissed in 23.3 overs.

Sadaqat equally good with bat

After failing to make an impact as an opener in the first ODI, left-handed batter Sadaqat dominated all three Bangladesh pacers and even took on Nahid Rana by smashing the fast bowler over his head for a straight six in his first over.

Sadaqat launched five sixes and six fours and provided a strong start of 103 runs with Sahibzada Farhan (31) in 13 overs before he bottom-edged a lap shot against captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and lobbed an easy catch to Litton behind the wickets.

Shamyl Hussain made another disappointing 6 off 22 balls and Farhan sliced a catch to third before the experienced pair of Agha (64) and Mohammad Rizwan (44) partnered for a solid 109 runs.

Agha’s controversial run out

Pakistan’s slide started with an unusual run out of Agha in the 39th over that left the batter fuming Video showed Agha throwing his helmet and gloves close to the boundary line as he walked back to the dressing room.

Agha, standing out of his crease at the non-striker’s end, tried to pick up the ball when Rizwan drove back to Mehidy. The bowler got tangled with Agha after the ball struck his foot. Mehidy picked up the ball and hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Agha well out of his crease. Mehidy appealed for the run out and the TV umpire gave it.

“He was away from the wicket and I was just looking for the ball,” Mehidy said. “If you miss, he would go for the run, so I was just thinking like that.”

Agha’s dismissal at 231-4 sparked Pakistan’s collapse at the hands of Rishad (3-56) and Mehidy , whose 10-over spell conceded 2-34.

“We didn’t execute well in the first 10 overs, which we did the last time,” Mehidy said. “It’s a very good wicket to bat on but our top-order batters didn’t get many runs. We have to improve our batting and need to take more responsibility.”

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket