KARACHI, April 20: Pakistan emerged as comfortable victors in the first-ever Twenty20 International played on home soil as they thrashed Bangladesh by a crushing margin of 102 runs at the National Stadium here on Sunday.

Despite a bright start provided by openers Tamim Iqbal and Nazimuddin, who added 41 in 5.4 overs, the next 10.2 overs saw the visitors destined to lose their last eight wickets for 16 runs in six overs as they folded up for 101 in 16 overs, while chasing a daunting target of 204 under lights.

Apart from Nazimuddin, who was seventh out for a 48-ball 42, which included three sixes, the abject surrender from the Bangladesh batsmen disappointed a holiday crowd of around 10,000 who found more entertainment during the 30-minute break between the innings as pop singer Hadiqa Kiyani performed live in front of the main pavillion.

Even the gift of five free hits, courtesy of no-balls, failed to lift Bangladesh, who had lost the preceding One-day International series 5-0 some 24 hours earlier, as their batsmen resorted to commit suicide at will.

Mansoor Amjad, the 20-year-old leg-spinning all-rounder, marked his first international appearance on a sensational note as he claimed wickets with the second, fifth and sixth balls of his first over to complete one of the easiest victories Pakistan recorded. He also held two good catches, including that of Shakib Al Hasan who was dismissed first ball by Afridi.

A career-best 87 from vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who was adjudged Man-of-the-Match, had earlier guided Pakistan to their highest Twenty20 International total of 203 for five after Shoaib Malik opted to bat first at the toss.

Misbah shared in three productive partnerships after the hosts made an appalling start.

Disaster struck Pakistan twice in an eventual first over. Salman Butt, fresh from his exploits in the one-day series, virtually ran himself out when he started off for a run which never existed. Kamran Akmal then played the last ball of Mashrafe Mortaza’s over onto his stumps to leave the hosts tottering at six for two.

Younis and Misbah restored parity in a rollicking partnership that yielded 78 off 49 balls. Younis, the major contributor in the stand with 47 off 28 deliveries, slapped seven boundaries, including three in succession off Mashrafe, before he lobbed a return catch on the first ball sent by all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.

Misbah, who resurrected his international career at last year’s inaugural World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa, anchored the Pakistan’s innings brilliantly as he bludgeoned five sixes and three fours in a 53-ball cameo.

Malik lashed three sixes and a brace of fours in striking 35 off just 18 deliveries while helping Misbah put on 63 off 34 balls for the fourth wicket until the Pakistan skipper was neatly stumped by Dhiman Ghosh, who was appearing in his maiden Twenty20 fixture at any level.

Shahid Afridi lasted only six balls before he was clean bowled by Shahadat Hossain for 10. But young Fawad Alam (16 off seven balls, one six and one four) kept Misbah company until the end of the innings as the two of collected 35 runs off 17 ball. Misbah’s third half-century in this form of cricket usurped his previous highest score, an unbeaten 66 against Australia at Johannesburg during the World Championship.

Misbah also excelled in the field with two of the three run outs in the Bangladesh. Although Pakistan’s fielding at times was atrocious, the home side’s dominance was evident throughout this mismatch international clash.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Salman Butt run out 1

Kamran Akmal b Mashrafe 0

Younis Khan c and b Shakib 47

Misbah-ul-Haq not out 87

Shoaib Malik st Ghosh b Razzak 35

Shahid Afridi b Shahadat 10

Fawad Alam not out 16

EXTRAS (W-7) 7

TOTAL (for five wkts, 20 overs) 203

FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-6, 3-84, 4-147, 5-168.

DID NOT BAT: Mansoor Amjad, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 3.5-0-38-1 (5w); Shahadat Hossain 4-0-44-1; Abdur Razzak 4-0-46-1 (2w); Farhad Reza 4-0-41-0; Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-33-1; Mahmudullah 0.1-0-1-0.

BANGLADESH:

Tamim Iqbal b Sohail 23

Nazimuddin c Mansoor b Wahab 42

M. Ashraful c Younis b Malik 13

Aftab Ahmed run out 3

Shakib Al Hasan c Mansoor b Afridi 0

Farhad Reza run out 2

Dhiman Ghosh run out 1

Mahmudullah st Kamran b Mansoor 2

Mashrafe Mortaza c Umar Gul b Mansoor 2

Abdur Razzak not out 1

Shahadat Hossain b Mansoor 0

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-4, NB-5) 12

TOTAL (all out, 16 overs) 101

FALL OF WKTS: 1-41, 2-64, 3-85, 4-88, 5-92, 6-94, 7-96, 8-99, 9-101.

BOWLING: Umar Gul 3-0-19-0 (1nb, 1w); Sohail Tanvir 3-0-23-1 (1nb, 1w); Shoaib Malik 3-0-27-1 (2w); Shahid Afridi 4-0-19-1; Wahab Riaz 2-0-7-1 (2nb); Mansoor Amjad 1-0-3-3 (1nb).

RESULT: Pakistan won by 102 runs.

UMPIRES: Nadeem Ghauri and Zameer Haider (both Pakistan).

TV UMPIRE: Saleem Badar (Pakistan).

MATCH REFEREE: M.J. Procter (South Africa).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Misbah-ul-Haq.