GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) — Title-holders Pakistan were handed a slight scare before smothering Bangladesh by 21 runs and making a successful start to their defence of the World Twenty20 Championship yesterday.

Defending a healthy 172-3 after they won the toss and batted first at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium, Pakistan were put on the ropes by a 91-run third-wicket stand between Mohammad Ashraful and captain Shakib Al Hasan as Bangladesh threatened.

But once Mohammad Sami returned for a telling second spell, he disrupted the partnership and sent the innings into decline to leave the Tigers on 151-7 when the overs ran out.

Sami, finished with 3-29 and accounted for Shakib, who stroked 47 from 31 balls. Ashraful, meanwhile, cracked the top score of 65 from 49 balls.

With Bangladesh under pressure at 31-2 in the sixth over, the duo came together in a daring stand that required a mere 59 balls and which sent worry throughout the Pakistan camp.

Both batsmen were bold and adventurous with Shakib striking three fours and two sixes and the ultra aggressive Ashraful hammering four fours and three sixes.

Earlier, Pakistan benefitted from a rollicking opening partnership of 142 between Man-of-the-Match Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt who both stroked 73 in contrasting styles.

Meanwhile, an aggressive innings by debutant opener Murali Vijay and an incisive opening burst from left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra propelled India to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Afghanistan.

Winning the toss and deciding to field first, the Indians restricted the ICC affiliates to 115-8 off their allotted 20 overs, thanks to Nehra’s haul of 3-19 from his four overs at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium.

Vijay, the 25-year-old rookie batsman, then took control at the top of the order with 48 from 46 balls to pave the way for India to reach 116-3 in 14.5 overs.

India lost Gautam Gambhir (4) cheaply with the score on 19 in the third over of their run chase but Vijay and Suresh Raina (18) added 27 from 19 balls for the second wicket to deny the Afghans.

Raina struck one four and a six off 13 balls before he was trapped lbw by leg-spinner Samiullah Shenwari.

Any hopes Afghanistan had of making headway were soon dashed as Vijay and the dashing Yuvraj Singh put the game away with a convincing 55-run, third wicket stand off 49 balls.

Vijay counted two fours and three sixes while Yuvraj’s unbeaten 23 came from 19 balls and contained a six.