Tri-series: Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 7 wickets

Pakistan edged Bangladesh by seven wickets with one ball remaining at the New Zealand Twenty20 cricket tri-series on Thursday. Babar made 55 and Rizwan went on to 68 to help guide Pakistan past Bangladesh's total of 173-6. Pakistan lost Babar's wicket and another in the 13th over and had to rely on Mohammad Nawaz, who struck an unbeaten 45 from 20 balls to close out the win. AS IT HAPPENEDThere was a flicker of concern when Rizwan holed out in the deep in the 19th over with Pakistan needing nine from seven balls. At the start of the last over it needed eight from six balls but with seven wickets in hand and Nawaz still at the crease, Pakistan was in command. Asif Ali took a streaky single from the first ball and Nawaz played an overhead tennis shot from the second ball for two. Nawaz continued to find gaps in the field for two runs until a four behind point by Nawaz from the fifth ball of the over clinched the win. "I think if you give a chance to the Bangladesh bowlers they don't make it easy because they bowl very well," Rizwan said.

"You have to bat within your plan because chasing a target is always difficult and you must keep wickets in hand. "I would give credit to Nawaz for the way he batted on this wicket. If you ask me honestly, the Bangladesh bowlers bowled extremely well but Nawaz innings was the moment that changed the whole match." The match was the last in the round-robin section of the tri-series and came after the tournament finalists already had been determined. Pakistan and New Zealand will meet in the final on Friday. Bangladesh finished the tournament without a win but still picked up some momentum ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia later this month. The team's total on Thursday was its