3rd ODI: Bangladesh v Pakistan at Dhaka, 25 Jan 2002 CricInfo Live Report

3rd ODI: Bangladesh v Pakistan at Dhaka, 25 Jan 2002
Shahryar Khan

Pakistan innings: First drinks interval,
Bangladesh innings: Bangladesh start well, Second drinks interval, End of Innings,

AFRIDI FIRES PAKISTAN INTO A COMMANDING POSITION

Opener Shahid Afridi got Pakistan off to a flyer, exploding upon the Bangladeshis like a ton of dynamite.

He began by hitting a couple of fours off Mohammed Sharif, the shots scurrying through deep point in a flash. In the following over, bowled by Manjural Islam, he hoisted a huge six over long on before plundering another couple of boundaries off Sharif’s next over.

Then it was the turn of Islam, a left-arm seamer, yet again; the seventh over saw him being thrashed for two consecutive sixes – one flew over long on while the next one disappeared over deep square leg.

The dashing opener reached his fifty off just 35 balls after a 34-minute stay at the crease. At that point, Pakistan had rattled 58 runs in just 7 overs.

Bangladesh captain Mashud replaced Islam with Enamul Haque, but all that succeeded in achieving was getting Afridi to whack four sixes - three of them off consecutive deliveries - off the first five deliveries. Afridi then ended the over with a four to really rub it in. So much for the bowling change - Haque had conceded 28 runs in his opening over!

Luckily for Bangladesh, Khaled Mahmud got rid of Afridi soon after. Afridi had welcomed Mahmud with a boundary off the first ball, but the latter then managed to sneak one past Afridi's defences. The Pakistan opener’s fiery cameo had lasted just 44 deliveries but the end result was 83 runs made with the seven massive sixes and six fours. The Pakistan score at that moment read 97 for one.

At drinks, they had progressed in a more mundane fashion to 103 for 1 - Navid Latif and Younis Khan were at the crease.

RAZZAQ SCYTHES THROUGH BANGLADESH LINE-UP

Bangaldesh were restricted to 220 as Pakistan medium-pacer Abdur Razzaq claimed six of the seven wickets that fell in the session following the second drinks interval.

Earlier, Bangladesh had made a positive start to the session. Aminul Islam combined well with Tushar Imran; they scored quick runs taking full advantage of the loose deliveries bowled by Afridi and off-spinner Shoaib Malik. Both batsmen hit a couple of sparkling boundaries each as the partnership realised 50 off 59 balls.

Imran was the more aggressive of the two, whacking the ball to all parts of the ground. Aminul, for his part, settled for the sheet-anchor role, fully content in taking the singles on offer and giving Imran as much of the strike as possible.

Waqar brought himself into the attack only to to see Aminul, thrashing his first ball over long-on for a spectacular four. Waqar also conceded two wides in that over as Bangladesh moved on to 176 for 3 after 42.

Tushar’s agressive innings came to an end when he mistimed a Razzaq outswinger, skying it to cover where Shoaib Malik was eagerly anticipating the catch. His sparkling 43 had come off 56 balls and included three fours.

After some perky running between the wickets that got Bangladesh valuable runs, Aminul(31) was finally castled by Razzaq; his leg-stump going for a walk.

But Khaled Mahmud slammed Pakistan skipper Waqar to the deep extra cover fence and that took Bangladesh past the 200-run mark. In the following over, Razzaq though wrought devastation again, claiming the wickets of Bangladesh skipper Khaled Mashud and Mahmud off successive deliveries.

Razzaq ended up with a career best 6-35 while Bangladesh finished with 220 - a fighting total at the very least.

PAKISTAN SPINNERS CLAIM THREE WICKETS

The session between the first and second drinks interval saw Bangladesh lose three quick wickets after their surprisingly good start.

Waqar Younis was constantly seeking the all-important breakthrough and he continued to attack once play resumed. He tempted the batsmen to chance their arm, leaving only three fielders outside the 30-yard circle.

The first five overs after drinks produced only 14 runs but Javed Omar and Mehrab Hossain scored 10 off the next, off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq’s fifth over. The two men then continued to keep the scoreboard ticking, picking up quick singles after pushing the ball into the gaps.

But Afridi, who was sending down quick deliveries and finishing his overs in a hurry, stalled their progress. He only gave away a miserly two runs in his first two overs.

At 88, Bangladesh lost their first wicket, that of Omar (35), who played Saqlain down the wicket only for Youhana at long-off to pouch the simple catch. His partner Mehrab Hossain (41) too followed him almost immediately to the pavilion. It was the Afridi-Rashid Latif firm which had done the trick.

A wobbly Al-Sahariar had a brief though nervous stint before he was relieved of his misery by Afridi; Rashid Latif clipped the bails off in a jiffy after the batsman missed the line completely. The hosts had lost the third wicket with the score on 99. Another middle-order collapse was looming on the horizon.

At the second drinks interval, the hosts were 117 for 3 with veteran Aminul Islam and Tushar Imran the two not out batsmen.

BANGLADESH MAKE SOLID START IN DHAKA

There are some changes in both squads today; Aminul Islam replaces Sanwar Hossain for Bangladesh and Shoaib Malik and Mohammed Sami are playing instead of Azhar Mahmood and Shoaib Akhtar.

Khaled Masud won the toss today and opted to bat first. The first 4 overs cost only 12 runs, as the openers were pretty watchful against the Pakistani pacers.

Runs started coming in a rush from the 7th over when Mehrab Hossain hammered successive boundaries off Waqar Younis, lofting the second one to deep square leg.

After 10 overs Bangladesh had 38 on the board and Waqar took himself out off the attack to bring Razzak on from his end. But Razzak wasn’t happy with the way Mehrab greeted him, as he hooked a short ball to the deep back ward square leg rope.

Belim enjoyed a good contest with his partner – whenever he saw Mehrab hammering a boundary, he came back with a boundary as well.

At drinks Bangladesh moved to 55 without loss with Belim on 20 and Mehrab 26.