LAHORE: Mohammad Haris lit up the Gaddafi Stadium with a blistering maiden T20I century as Pakistan cruised to a commanding seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the third and final T20I on Sunday, completing a clinical 3-0 series whitewash.
Chasing a formidable 197-run target, Pakistan had an early hiccup when opener Sahibzada Farhan fell for just 1 in the first over, bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. However, any hopes Bangladesh had of tightening the screws quickly evaporated as Haris and Saim Ayub launched a ferocious counterattack.
The pair added a scintillating 92-run partnership for the second wicket, peppering the field with boundaries and keeping the required rate under control. Saim Ayub looked in great touch before he was dismissed for a fluent 45 off 29 balls by Tanzim Hasan, with the scoreboard reading 100-2 in 9.5 overs.
Haris, undeterred, continued to unleash a flurry of powerful strokes and brought up his maiden T20I fifty in just 30 deliveries. Joined by Hasan Nawaz, who chipped in with a quick 26 off 13 balls, Pakistan inched closer to the target. Mehidy Hasan struck again to remove Nawaz, but by then the momentum was firmly with the home side.
With elegance and authority, Haris brought up his first T20I century in just 45 balls — a landmark knock laced with eight boundaries and seven sixes. He remained unbeaten on a breathtaking 107 off 46 deliveries, steering Pakistan to 198-3 in just 17.1 overs. Skipper Agha Salman added 14 not out off 11 balls to finish the chase in style.
Earlier, Bangladesh opted to bat first and made a flying start. Openers Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon dominated the powerplay, racing to 53 without loss in six overs. Emon was particularly aggressive, reaching a dazzling half-century off just 27 balls as the duo posted a 100-run opening stand by the 11th over.
Faheem Ashraf eventually broke the stand, dismissing Tanzid for 42 off 32 balls. Shadab Khan followed up swiftly, removing Emon for a blistering 66 off 34, leaving Bangladesh at 113-2.
Captain Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy steadied the innings, adding valuable runs with a mix of aggression and rotation. Hridoy launched a mini-onslaught to guide the visitors past the 150 mark, but Das departed for 22 (18) courtesy of Hasan Ali, who struck again in the final over to remove Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Abbas Afridi chipped in with the wicket of Shamim Hossain, while Jakeer Ali’s late fireworks—15 off 9 — helped Bangladesh post a competitive 196-6, their highest T20I total against Pakistan.
But the night belonged to Haris. With a century of sheer class and confidence, he not only scripted a memorable personal milestone but also underlined Pakistan’s dominance in a series that saw the hosts outplay Bangladesh in all departments.
