Pakistan started to lay to rest the ghost of their T20 World Cup semi-final defeat when they beat Bangladesh in the first T20 international on Friday and on Saturday the chance comes along to win the series with a game to spare.
Bangladesh go into that contest knowing they have to win to force a decider on Monday and will be eager for that to happen now that they have supporters back roaring them on to what would be a high profile win should they get it.
Bangladesh
It looked for much of the second innings of the first match as though Bangladesh would be the ones getting over their disappointing T20 World Cup campaign but they couldn’t quite get the job done and in the end they were left ruing the fact that they went a little too slowly in the opening 10 overs of their batting effort. To be fair they faced some good bowling but their inexperience at the top of their order certainly appeared apparent.
Bangladesh ended up racing home with the bat to give themselves half a chance and then their bowlers kept them in the game but found the seventh wicket too much to contain and in the end they went down to a defeat in the final over. There were certainly positives to come out of that first match and if they can take those and just work on being a little braver in the areas where they were short then there is no reason why Bangladesh can’t level this series.
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Pakistan
I wouldn’t say there was a whole lot that was convincing about the display of Pakistan in that opening match. They were good for 10 overs of each innings and found wanting in the other 10 of each and it is the latter they will be looking to address here. Overall they did well to restrict Bangladesh to what they did keep them too but then got themselves in a right hole when they attempted to chase the total down.
Pakistan have work to build on but you would expect that, especially as they were looking to get over the disappointment of their semi-final in the T20 World Cup. When you consider the conditions here were completely different to the ones they played in during that tournament you can understand why they weren’t completely perfect. They did win though and if they find natural improvement they are certainly worthy favourites to win again.
Betting
I was successful in taking the under in the runs on Friday and I see no reason not to take them again on Saturday. The line has come down to 257.5 which is a bit of an annoyance but there was only 259 here in the first game and that was with a six to win when two would have done. The pitch didn’t play particularly well in that opening match and 24 hours later it isn’t going to play any better here so the scoring should naturally get a little harder.
The only batters who looked like they could get on with it were the ones down the order who were swinging with freedom when they knew they couldn’t get bowled out. I don’t see that happening here though because I expect the death bowlers to have worked things out for this match. I see another match where the bat dominates the ball and while we are getting towards the mark where I wouldn’t want to be on the under, there is still just enough life left in the line to merit a bet.
Tips
Back Under 257.5 runs for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Betway
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