Tigers open with a loss
Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf is about to execute a reverse sweep on way to making a fine 59 against Bangladesh in the opening match of the tri-nation Kitply Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.Photo: Anisur Rahman
Bangladesh suffered yet another huge defeat at the hands of Pakistan, this time in the Kitply Cup opener at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
While the winning margin for the visitors was 70 runs, the Tigers were well and truly beaten almost an hour before the last rites were undertaken. In the shortened 40-overs-a-side game, Pakistan were sent into bat first after a two hour delayed start and were bowled out for 233 runs in 39.3 overs, on the back of half-centuries from man-of-the-match Salman Butt (70) and prolific Mohammad Yousuf (56). The home side made a steady beginning but the middle-order faltered once again as they were restricted to 163 for eight in 40 overs.
But for the spectators who braved the inclement weather from the afternoon till early evening, this was a pathetic batting display as Mohammad Ashraful's knock highlighted the woes.
Ashraful struggled throughout his 93-ball undefeated knock of 56 runs that included just three boundaries. It was an unusual innings for the ace Bangladesh batsman, better known for his attacking batsmanship. He swished and missed plenty of times and all three of his boundaries came from the on-side. He pulled part-time spinner Fawwad Alam through mid-wicket twice and late in the night, cracked Sohail Tanveer through the square-leg boundary.
Coming to bat at the fall of the first wicket, Ashraful's hopes of stringing together some partnerships was dashed when leg-break bowler Shahid Afridi had Tamim Iqbal (29) stumped when the batsman stumbled and lost his balance. A few overs before, Tamim drove left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz straight down the ground. But once Afridi was let to settle into his rhythm, he stifled the middle-order batsmen and went on to pick three wickets. Newcomer Wahab also returned with three wickets, some of which were unplayable for the tail-enders.
Afridi gave away just 19 runs and also picked up Alok Kapali and Mushfiqur Rahim, who were all at sea with the bat after being the shining lights when the Tigers were on the field.
Behind the stumps for the Tigers after almost two months, Mushfiqur took a fantastic reflex action catch to remove Akmal after the openers made 75 for the first wicket. The left-right pair of Akmal and Salman crashing boundaries at will before debutant Dollar Mahmud brought the first smile to the Tigers' faces when he removed Akmal for 25 off 27 balls. But the wicket was more about the returning wicketkeeper's catch than Akmal's leaden footed prod or Dollar's away swinger.
Butt continued his rich vein of form against Bangladesh with a fluent 70, Mohammad Yousuf played a typical, not-spoken-for half-century, Alok Kapali stopped the run surge to mark his return to one-day international cricket with a three-wicket haul but it all happened because of the brilliant ground condition which recovered after such a downpour.
Bangladesh's fielding was the surprise package of the day and when Rokibul Hasan swooped from mid-wicket to end Younis Khan's innings before it began as the one-down batsman was run out at the bowler's end without even facing a ball.
Pakistan will now take a day off before their mouthwatering clash against India at the same venue tomorrow.
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