Captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan slammed fifties before Mohammad Nawaz produced a 20-ball blitz to give Pakistan a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh at the Hagley Oval on Thursday to set up a tri-series final showdown with hosts New Zealand on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After captain Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das took Bangladesh to a competitive 173\/6, Azam (55) and Rizwan (69) produced their eighth century partnership in the format. It was followed by Nawaz hitting five fours and a six in his unbeaten 45 off 20 balls for Pakistan to chase down the target with a ball to spare.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan made early inroads with the ball by reducing Bangladesh to 41\/2 in 5.4 overs. From there, Litton Das (69 off 42 balls) and Shakib (68 off 42 balls) put on 88 runs in 55 balls for the third wicket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But after Das fell in the 15th over, Pakistan fought back by conceding only 44 runs in the last five overs, including pacer Mohammad Wasim Jr bowling a splendid last over to pick up two wickets and conceded just three runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For Pakistan, Wasim finished with 2\/33 while Naseem Shah was the pick of the bowlers with 2\/27 and Nawaz, the left-arm spinner, picked up one wicket for 27 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the chase, Rizwan and Babar added 101 runs for the first wicket in 76 balls. While Rizwan struck four fours to reach his 22nd half-century in T20Is, Azam hit nine fours to get his 29th half-century in the shortest format of the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After Azam and Haider Ali fell in quick succession, Rizwan and Nawaz put on 64 runs for the third wicket from 36 balls. Nawaz, promoted in the batting order, slammed a breezy cameo, including the winning four, for Pakistan to emerge victorious and consign Bangladesh to being winless in the tri-series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n