Pakistan vs Bangladesh, 14th Match, Super 10 Group 2 - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: ICC World T20, 2016 Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata Date & Time: Mar 16, 03:00 PM LOCAL

Mohammad Hafeez scored 62 off 47 in a 95-run stand with Ahmed Shehzad. © Cricbuzz

Hello and Welcome to the second day of the Super 10 phase of the World T20. This one's a double header. We have Pakistan and Bangladesh square off at the hallowed Eden Gardens. Later in the day, we'll have past champions England and West Indies meet at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

But first the focus is in Kolkata. A big game!

Perennially mercurial in a format that embraces the sport's unpredictability, Pakistan promise dollops of excitement in the ICC World T20 2016. They may have left their fans and selectors tearing their hair out after a lukewarm show in the Asia Cup T20, but can just as easily turn it on and go all the way to win the World Cup. That's just how they like to roll. In Shahid Afridi, the 2009 champions have a leader who despite being in the twilight of his international career, can still galvanise Pakistan's cricket. More importantly, Afridi knows what goes into winning an event like this, having famously starred in the semis and finals in their title triumph in England, in 2009. Pakistan have power, pace and panache. If they can find some pluck, they should go a long way in the tournament.

Fast bowling has traditionally been Pakistan's big strength. The 2016 WT20 is no different. In Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Sami - they have, arguably, the most potent pace-bowling attack in the tournament. On the flip side, this also poses significant selection issues for the captain. To play a right combination of these bowlers. But it's a headache they'd gladly bear.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's top-order woes have been well-documented. Sharjeel Khan scored a hundred in the PSL last month but has since found his batting bereft of timing. Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad will need to contribute significantly at the top if the team has to post significant totals on batting-friendly wickets in India. The explosive Umar Akmal will once again hold the key to Pakistan's batting from the middle order.

Afridi has set the Eden on fire. This is the Afridi of old. Has come in and just smashed the ball around. Bangladesh haven't helped their cause by bowling all over the place. On the Eden Gardens with short square boundaries, Mortaza has been guilty of bowling it short and has been repeatedly taken apart past deep backward square. When the bowlers bowled full, the Pakistan skipper gave himself room and went over the straight boundaries. Terrific batting.

Special mention to Soumya Sarkar who completed a fantastic catch in the deep to end Hafeez's stay (62). But Pakistan have 201 on the board and Afridi's 49 off 19 might have just given them a total that could prove to beyond Bangladesh's reach.

Join us for the chase in just a bit.

Bangladesh may have been the last team to qualify for the Super 10 phase, but by no means was their progress to the main round of the tournament unforeseen. Bangladesh's rise as the most improved One-Day International side has been well documented. Yet there remained doubts about their T20 pedigree following a spate of indifferent performances in the format. They blew that reputation to smithereens in the way they pipped Sri Lanka and Pakistan before running India close in the Asia Cup and along expected lines, breezed through the qualifying phase of the World T20 without too many concerns. They have not once made it to the knockout stages of the World T20, but that was the case even before the 50-over World Cup last year and we know how that turned out. Expect Bangladesh, as Steven Smith would say, to give Group 2 of the Super 10 stage, a real shake.

Team balance is easily overlooked as a luxury, but with their heady mix of experience - Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal - and youth - Soumya Sarkar, Mustafizur, Sabbir Rahman - Bangladesh have the right setup to make a deep run in a multi-team event. That the tournament is being played in India, gives Bangladesh an added advantage considering that a majority of their upcoming talent haven't been exposed to conditions outside the subcontinent.

The 26-year-old Tamim Iqbal has proved to be quite an assured presence at the top of the order, but Bangladesh will have to be vary of being overly reliant on him. The qualifier against Netherlands was a case in point with Tamim scoring 83 with the next highest score being 15. If their batsmen can help post par totals on the board, more often than not their bowlers will be expected to defend. Also, Taskin Ahmed battling an issue with his action and fellow bowling sensation Mustafizur Rahman in a race against time to get fit in time for the tournament are a couple of concerns for Bangladesh.

Shahid Afridi is fit (He skipped training yesterday due to an illness) and has won the toss and Pakistan will bat first. They haven't been really comfortable chasing in this format and the toss by itself should hold them in good stead. They are playing with the three spinning all-rounders in the middle order with Imad Wasim joining Afridi and Shoaib Malik.

For Bangladesh, Mustafizur Rahman is yet to recover from his side strain and will not feature for Bangladesh. Afrafat Sunny, under a cloud due to a suspect action comes in as an extra spinning option.

Teams:

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mahmudullah, Mohammad Mithun, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Arafat Sunny, Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain

Pakistan (Playing XI): Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed(w), Shahid Afridi(c), Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Irfan

matches.

46 33

Amir and Irfan take a wicket each in their second spell to pile more misery on Bangladesh. Can they now get a few runs to ensure the net run-rate doesn't take a huge hit? Shakib and Mortaza are at the wicket.

A thumping 55-run win for Pakistan and they have made a mark straightaway in the tournament. Bangladesh were never in the contest as Shakib got to his half-century in the final over. It was all about Afridi as the all-rounder first made a 19-ball 49 to propel his side to 201 and then came back to pick two wickets with the ball. Pakistan will now be buoyed ahead of the match against India at the same venue.