CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

Asif steers Pakistan to win over Bangladesh

Dhaka, Feb. 19: A captain's knock of 67 in 105 balls by Asif Mujtaba steered favourites Pakistan 'A' to an easy 6-wicket victory against host Bangladesh in the opening match of the 3rd SAARC Cricket Tournament here today (Wednesday).

The Pakistan skipper hit seven boundaries and a sixer as he shared 98 runs with Mohammad Wasim for the second wicket. This enabled Pakistan A to overhaul the host's total making 186 for 4 in 39 overs before a capacity crowd at the Dhaka National Stadium.

Mujtaba, who earned the Man of the Match award, joined Wasim in the eighth over when paceman Saiful got rid of opener Akhtar Sarfaraz (18) with Pakistan A managing 41 runs for two wickets.

Two overs earlier, new ball bowler Hasibul Hossain Shanta, who earlier blazed with the willow scoring an on beaten 41 runs of 41 balls, had made the initial breakthrough for Bangladesh as opener Saleem Elahi was caught by wicketkeeper Khaled Masud Pilot.

One down Wasim made 42 runs off 69 balls with five four before he was run out in the 32nd over, leaving the strong Pakistan A, having 11 experienced Test level cricketers, on the driving seat. Mujtaba, who completed his 50 in 86 balls, was caught by substitute Zakir Hossain off Anisur Rahman at mid-on in ;the penultimate ball of the 39th over after he hit a boundary in the earlier delivery that took Pakistan level with Bangladesh (182).

Coming to the crease, Azhar Mahmood pulled the last delivery over to the long-leg fence to get the winning runs and remained not out on 4. Basit Ali, the talented middle order batsman, contributed 21 runs with two fours and a wild sixer over the mid-wicket off Shanta.

Bangladesh fielding was poor. Wasim at his 24 was dropped by Enamul Haq Moni at gully while at the same point, Javed Omar missed Mujtaba when the Pakistan skipper was at 45. The Bowler deprived on both occasion was Naimur Rahman Durjoy, basically a middle order batsman who made a ;duck while batting earlier.

Durjoy bowled economically to concede 28 runs in his 10 wicket-less overs, the only solace for Bangladesh bowling which missed the service of another seamer, Athar Ali who nursed a go in injury.

Winning the toss, skipper Asif Mujtaba put Bangladesh to bat first and restricted them at 182 runs for 9 wickets in allotted 50 overs as the top order batsmen of the host nation failed to rise to the occasion. Tailender Shanta remained not out contributing highest 42 runs off 41 balls with four hits to the fence. He also led the best stand of 51 runs in the defiant last wicket with Anisur Rahman (7) to post a face-saving total for the injury-plagued team.

Two key players - Mohammad Rafiq and experienced all rounder Minhazul Abedin Nannu - missed the match due to injury while another star batsman Aminul Islam Bulbul was not fully fit.

Former West Indian Test opener and coach Gordon Greenidge's earlier comment that the Bangladesh batsmen forget about the full 50 overs came true in the morning session.

Openers Athar Ali Khan (12 in 30 balls) and Javed Omar (4 in 21), skipper Akram Khan (14 in 18), onedown Jahangir Alam (11 in 48), Durjoy (0 in 4) and Bulbul (5 off 23 balls) played recklessly as the home side slumped to 70 for six in 25 overs.

Kabir Khan, the left arm fast bowler of the specialist Pakistani pace quartet, claimed three vital wickets of Akram, Durjoy and Bulbul in his 10 overs.

Earlier, new ball bowler Aaqib Javed struck in the 8th over to claim Athar Ali while speedster Mohammad Zahid sent back Javed Omar in the next over as the home side lost both openers at 28 runs. An experienced campaigner, Enamul Haq Moni, scored second highest 26 runs off 57 balls with two fours to halt the slide playing with wicket keeper Pilot (7) and Saiful Islam (11).

After Pilot was given lbw to spinner Mohammad Hossain in the 36th over, Moni and Saiful shared 21 runs for the eighth wicket in next four overs before Saiful was brilliantly caught and bowled by the Pakistan spinner. Moni was caught behind by wicket keeper Wasim Yousufi off Zahid in the 40th over with Bangladesh languishing at 130 runs for nine wickets. The highlight of Bangladesh innings was extras that added 43 runs to the total.

For Pakistan, Kabir Khan gave 29 runs for his three wickets, Zahid and Mohammad Hossain captured two wickets each while Azhar and Aaqib took one apiece with Aaqib sent successively by Shanta to fence in the penultimate over.

One over was curtailed from the Pakistan innings due to delay earlier in completing the bowling and their target was set in 49 overs.