Taskin's Four-For and Tanzid's Century Lead Bangladesh to Victory

Tanzid Hasan's brilliant century (107) and Taskin Ahmed's four-wicket haul (4-49) led Bangladesh to a thrilling 11-run win over Pakistan in the third ODI, securing the series 2-1. Salman Ali Agha's fighting century (106) wasn't enough to rescue Pakistan, who were bowled out for 279 in pursuit of 291. What a thrilling finish! Rishad Hossain's dropped catch at mid-on proved costly, as it gave Pakistan a chance to stay alive. The wide ball and subsequent review added to the tension, but ultimately, Afridi's miss and Litton Das's quick thinking sealed the win for Bangladesh. Bangladesh won by 11 runs, securing the series 2-1. However, the match was a long way away from being a heart-stopper, and had mostly been a one-way dogfight with Bangladesh calling the shots. Then, Agha made a belated entry to the middle at 67 for 4. They were chasing 291 on a pitch that turned when you slowed it down, and bounced when you speared it in. Taskin Ahmed's early wickets put Bangladesh in control, dismissing Sahibzada Farhan and Mohammad Rizwan in the first and third overs, respectively. Maaz Sadaqat also fell to Nahid Rana's bowling, leaving Pakistan 12/3. However, debutant Ghazi Ghori and Abdul Samad steadied the ship, putting together a 50-run partnership in 67 balls. Their stand was marked by several tense moments, including four run-out chances. Bangladesh were poor in the field themselves, with misfields and balls parried away by the close-in fielders - twice against Ghori and Samad - letting Pakistan stay in the contest for as long as they did. Ghori, in particular, rode his luck, smacking three fours and one eye-catching six into the deep-square boundary. Ghori (29) and Samad (34) fell quickly, but Agha and Saad Masood kept Pakistan's chase alive, adding 79 runs for the sixth wicket. Masood's dismissal, rushing down the pitch to Mustafizur Rahman, proved to be the turning point. Agha's reaction said it all, taking off his gloves and helmet, and sinking to his haunches. The pitch might as well have been laid out with Mustafizur in mind, as he kept angling balls away from the batters to finish with figures of 3 for 54. But Agha countered him - and the other pace bowlers - by mostly sticking to shots down the ground. His knock was peppered with nine fours and four sixes. This was as good a riposte as any with the bat, having been run-out in the previous game in rather unusual circumstances. Here, he only kept the team's needs in mind as he dug deeper in the middle with Afridi. Even when he bashed Rana down the ground in the 45th over to bring up his century, they still needed 48 off 35 balls with just three wickets left. He did not indulge in much of a celebration. Bangladesh's strong start, with Tanzid and Saif Hassan adding 105 runs for the opening wicket, set the tone for the match. Taskin Ahmed's early wickets, including Sahibzada Farhan and Mohammad Rizwan, put Pakistan on the back foot. Agha's century, featuring nine fours and four sixes, kept Pakistan in the chase, but Bangladesh's bowlers held firm.