@AFP

Pakistan ended up with record lowest total against Bangladesh as they were bowled out to 110 all out after a seven-wicket defeat in a match at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. The defeat became the first time that Pakistan had been shut down by Banglsdesh in the T20I cricket, and consequently there were instant criticisms of the pitch environment.

The game revealed the strategic weakness of Pakistan and the way Bangladesh adapted to home environment. Pakistan coach Mike Hesson criticized on the poor quality of the surface, terming it as something unacceptable at an international level.However Bangladesh team defended the conditions since they easily won the game and claimed it was the evidence that the pitch was playable.

The downfall of Pakistan started at an early stage and never rebounded back. They were reduced to 46 for 5 after eight overs, with the majority of the batters becoming a victim of the uneven surface. Things got more miserable when their batters failed to communicate running between wickets under pressure,resulting 3 runouts. Fakhar Zaman was the only player who put up a fight and ended with 44 off 34 deliveries before he fell out to a run out.

Taskin Ahmed headed the bowling line of Bangladesh with three wickets and Mustafizur Rahman got a record bowling spell. The 2-0-6-2 in four overs brought a new record as the lowest spell of a Bangladeshi bowler in T20I history. His run rate of 1.5 per over choked Pakistan any scoring attemts.

Pakistan's coach, Mike Hesson did not hold back in his assessment. "I think the pitch is not ideal for anybody. Teams are trying to prepare for the Asia Cup or the T20 World Cup. It is not acceptable. It is still no excuse for some of the decisions we made with the bat. But this pitch is not up to international standards," Hesson stated.

He explained how early success had been misleading. "We got off to a little bit of a flyer. Fakhar Zaman played four or five shots. It gave us a false indication about how the surface was playing." The coach admitted Pakistan made poor tactical choices but maintained his criticism of the conditions.

Bangladesh opener Parvez Hossain Emon rejected Hesson's complaints outright. "We didn't feel it was a bad pitch as we chased it down in less than 16 overs. We could have scored 150-160 runs if we batted the full 20 overs," he said. Emon's unbeaten 56 from 39 balls, featuring five sixes and three fours, backed up his words.

The hosts made the target look ordinary. Despite losing early wickets, Tanzid Hasan and captain Litton Das still sailed home with seven wickets to spare in 15.3 overs. Emon and Towhid Hridoy opened their arms and scored 73 runs in the third wicket to take charge of the chase.

Pakistan debutant Salman Mirza provided the only bright spot for the tourists, taking two early wickets including both openers. However, once Emon and Hridoy settled, the result never looked in doubt.

Pakistan had won 19 of the 22 previous T20Is between these teams, making Bangladesh's comprehensive victory even more striking. Pakistan suffered a harsh reminder that their recent 3-0 series win in Lahore just two months ago means little on Bangladeshi soil.

Bangladesh enters this series with confidence after their 2-1 T20I victory over Sri Lanka. Captain Litton Das became the first Bangladesh skipper to win two overseas T20I series, building momentum that carried into this opener.

Pakistan must regroup quickly for Tuesday's second T20I. Their historical superiority counts for nothing if they cannot adapt to local conditions. Bangladesh will look to seal the series and continue their recent transformation into a more competitive T20I side.