Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Haque blasted five boundaries and two sixes during his knock of 42

Bangladesh opener Anamul Haque smashed 42 and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan hammered a quickfire 37 to help their side breeze past Nepal by eight wickets in Chittagong.

The pair were well supported by pace bowler Al-Amin Hossain, who took two wickets.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim would have been delighted with his decision to bowl first as Nepal opening batsman Subash Khakurel was caught by Abdur Razzak at mid-off off the bowling of Farhad Reza for eight runs.

Sagar Pun only scored 12 runs before he was caught by Al Hasan at short cover off the bowling of Hossain.

Gyanendra Malla failed to have an impact as well as he was given out lbw off the bowling of Hossain for 13.

Nepal captain Paras Khadka and Sharad Vesawkar stabilised the innings with a brilliant 85-run partnership before Khadka was clean bowled by Mashrafe Mortaza for 41 off 35 balls, which included five boundaries.

Vesawkar ended up making 40 off 43 deliveries, which also included five boundaries, before he was run out by Rahim off the last ball of the innings.

Thanks to Khadka and Vesawkar, Nepal finished on 126/5 at the end of their 20 overs.

Hossain was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Reza and Mortaza chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Chasing 127 to win, Bangladesh got off to an excellent start as their opening pair of Tamim Iqbal and Haque amassed a 63-run partnership before Iqbal was caught by Pun at short third man off the bowling of Basant Regmi for 30.

Haque went on to score 42 off 33 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes, before he was run out by Pun.

From that point on it was all Bangladesh as Al Hasan and Sabbir Rahman put together an unbeaten 53-run partnership to lead their team to a convincing eight-wicket win.

Regmi was the only bowler to take a wicket.