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Kolkata: Pakistan thrashed Bangladesh by 55 runs on Wednesday in their opening match of cricket's World Twenty20, with skipper Shahid Afridi starring with bat and ball at Kolkata's Eden Gardens stadium on Wednesday.
The match was also notable for the return to the world stage of fast bowler Mohammad Amir, playing in his first major tournament since the 2010 World T20 after serving a five-year ban for spot-fixing.
The 23-year-old didn't take long to make an impact, ripping one through the defences of Soumya Sarkar with his third delivery as Bangladesh's reply got off to the worst possible start.
Returning later in the innings, he then produced an excellent slower ball to outfox Mushfiqur Rahim, who was caught behind.
He should have had another wicket, with Ahmed Shehzad spilling an easy chance off Shakib al-Hasan, but his own fielding was secure, claiming a good boundary catch to dismiss Mohammad Mithun.
With Amir looking back to somewhere near his best, as part of a dangerous left-arm pace trio with Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Irfan, Pakistan will have high hopes of building on this opening victory.
Earlier, Afridi scored a blistering 49 off just 19 balls in Pakistan's commanding total of 201 for five before then taking two wickets, including that of danger man Tamim Iqbal, as Bangladesh made 146 for six in their 20 overs.
"Boom Boom" Afridi, whose batting form had fallen away in recent months, rose to the occasion after promoting himself to number four in the order.
The skipper smacked four boundaries and four sixes to help Pakistan register their second highest score in T20 internationals. Their highest total is 203 against the same opposition in 2009.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, Pakistani openers Ahmed Shehzad (52) and Mohammad Hafeez (64) hit entertaining fifties to stitch a 95-run second wicket partnership and lay a solid foundation for others to build on.
The duo combined the right dose of caution and aggression to blunt the Bangladesh bowling attack, forcing the Tigers' skipper Mashrafe Mortaza to call on six different bowlers.
Shehzad, who was recalled into after missing the recent Asia Cup, reached his fifth T20 half-century in 35 deliveries.
Hafeez was not far behind as the former skipper, who posted his ninth T20 fifty, struck seven boundaries and two sixes in his 42-ball stay.
The only bright spot for Bangladesh was a moment of brilliance in the field when Soumya Sarkar took a breathtaking catch on the boundary rope to bring an end to Hafeez's innings.
Other than that it was an all Pakistan show, banishing much of the gloom surrounding the side after their recent run of bad form and their delayed departure to India in a row over security.
Brief scores
Pakistan - 201 for 5 (Hafeez 64, Shehzad 52, Afridi 49, Taskin 2-32, Sunny 2-34)
Bangladesh - 146 for 6 (Shakib 50*, Amir 2-27, Afridi 2-27)
Result - Pakistan won by 55 runs
Points - Pakistan 2, Bangladesh 0
MOM - Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
