The Hindu : Sport : Easy for Pakistan

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Monday, Jun 09, 2008
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Easy for Pakistan

S. Dinakar

Dhaka: Much of an enthusiastic crowd that braved inclement weather melted before a verdict was reached.

The Kitply tri-series’ one-sided opener had dampened their spirit. Chasing 234 in 40 overs under the lights, Bangladesh could manage only 163 for eight at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday.

Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi and young left-arm paceman Wahab Riaz struck decisive blows for Pakistan.

Afridi invited Tamim Iqbal to his front foot and spun the ball away to find the outside edge. He then cramped and consumed the right-handed Alok Kapali with the one that came back a tad.

Riaz impressive

Riaz deviated the ball away from Shahriar Nafees to snare the southpaw. He was impressive from round-the-wicket to the right-handers, bowling with rare control on a sluggish pitch. Iqbal stroked a couple of scintillating cover-drives off Sohail Tanvir and then skipper Mohammad Ashraful (56 not out, 93b, 3x4 ) batted with determination if not typical flair. There was little else in the innings.

Earlier, Butt and Mohammad Yousuf sparkled for Pakistan. Rain and a wet outfield meant the overs were reduced to 40.

Butt sparkles

Butt used his supple wrists to cash in when the bowlers pitched anywhere close to the leg stump. And he was ready with the horizontal bat shots when the pacemen pitched short.

Mashrafe Mortaza was reasonably consistent in his first spell of five overs. It was, however, Dolar Mahmud who achieved the breakthrough just when Kamran Akmal was just getting into his stride after Butt had dominated the strike and the scoring. Akmal’s 27-ball 25 had been a handy effort. More importantly for Pakistan, the opening pair put on 75 runs in 12 overs.

The host struck again soon when Younis Khan was run-out on zero before Yousuf came on.Left-armer Razzak bowled creditably, spinning the ball away from the right-hander. But for the presence of the left-handed Butt, his influence would have been greater.

Razzak is an interesting bowler who tends to hit the deck rather than flight the ball from a rather front-on action.

But then, he does give a ball a rip and brings about changes of pace and angles.

It was the steady leg-spin of Alok Kapali, though, that provided Bangladesh vital wickets. Both Butt (70, 84b, 10x4) and Yousuf (59, 56b, 7x4) fell to catches in the deep.

The leggie also prised out Shahid Afridi (20 off 17), who failed to biff a trademark six.

Yousuf fell in the 31stst over and Pakistan scored 53 in the last 8.3 overs.

Misbah-ul-Haq blitzed a 22-ball 39 before Mortaza trapped him leg-before. These runs, eventually, proved too much for Bangladesh.

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