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It was another day for Bangladesh at the highest level of cricket and another defeat, 25th to be precise, in their 26th one-day appearance.

This time around, it was former world champions Pakistan who won the contest of two unequal opponents by 152 runs at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

The day-night match petered into a one-sided affair when Bangladesh, chasing a mammoth Pakistan total of 293 for seven in the stipulated 50 overs, were bundled out for 141 in 40.5 overs.

The hurriedly-arranged ODI certainly exposed the truth about the Bangladesh standard at the international level. Especially, batting was really tested against quality bowling of Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhter, who tore apart the top-order in a hostile spell of eight overs.

Bangladesh, however, started off with some sort of grit in the first three overs putting on 12 runs the board for no loss.

But once Pakistani speedster Shoaib disturbed the furniture of opener Mehrab Hossain with a quicker delivery in the fourth over, Bangladesh showed the same old syndrome of vulnerability by losing wickets at regular intervals.

Shahriar Hossain was the second to go in the next over. The inexperienced right-hander, deceived by a slower delivery from Akram, played it into the waiting hands of Afridi at cover.

One-down Al-Shahriar played some aggressive shots in his 13-ball 17 before being outfoxed by a slow off-cutter from Shoaib.

Skipper Aminul Islam and Akram Khan, the two most ``experienced'' batsmen, held the rocking boat together for a while after Bangladesh were reduced to 30 for three in 7.3 overs. Together the two put on 33 runs for the fourth wicket before Aminul, who survived three close calls on his way to a rusty 54-ball 16, was declared run out by the third umpire.

Dropped on nought by Wasti in the second slip, Aminul was out of the crease at the non-striker's end when a straight drive from Akram hit the wicket touching the outstretched fingers of bowler Afridi.

Akram made a defiant 28 off 82 balls before being taken by wicketkeeper Moin Khan off Wasti, who, on his debut, took three wickets with his off-spinners.

But it was hard-hitting Mohammad Rafique, who entertained the otherwise disappointed full-house crowd at the big bowl with an enterprising 29 off only 19 balls. The southpaw smashed a huge sixer against Wasti over long-on.

Earlier, Aminul Islam won the toss and asked the Pakistanis to bat first.

Having an inexperienced batters at his disposal, Aminul's decision to chase under the lights, that too against a world class bowling, was rather surprising considering the fact that the wicket was pretty flat.

The Pakistani openers began with an uncharacteristically subdued fashion which yielded just nine runs in the first four overs.

Wajahatullah Wasti showed the first sign of aggression by whacking two boundaries in the fifth over bowled by Hasibul Hossain.

In the very next over, debutant fellow new-ball operator Manjurul Islam got a taste of the raw power of Shahid Afridi, who cracked two fours and then lofted the left-arm paceman straight into the sight screen.

Just when Wasti and Afridi decided to cut loose, Manjurul got the first breakthrough for Bangladesh.

Wasti, then at 18, gave a thick edge while playing an outgoing delivery. Wicketkeeper Khaled Masood took the brilliant catch diving to his right.

Saeed Anwar came in and got into his usual stride right away. He despatched Manjurul across the ropes twice to take Pakistan to 50 in the 10th over.

In the next over, Afridi was hit on the pads while playing across to Hasibul and umpire Doug Cowie adjudged him leg-before wicket.

Anwar was in a majestic form. He welcomed off-spinner Naimur Rahman with four successive boundaries and treated all the Bangladesh bowlers with contempt.

Runs started pouring at an alarming rate. Pakistan reached 100 in the 18th over and with the mighty sixer of Anwar. In between, Ijaz Ahmed was dropped by Hasibul at mid-off.

Anwar went on to score 64 off 48 balls inclusive of eight fours and a six before a superb direct throw from Aminul had him well outside the crease.

Soon after scoring his half-century (51), Ijaz perished trying to loft Aminul over long-off.

In the last 10 overs, Bangladeshi bowlers were treated mercilessly. Eighty-eight runs were produced during that period.

Man-of-the-match Inzamamul Haq, fresh from his double-hundred in the Asian Test Championships final, blasted 70 and Moin Khan smacked some lusty blows to take the score to 293 for seven.

Among the local bowlers, Hasibul took career-best figures of three for 50 off ten overs. Naimur, Aminul and Manjurul captured a wicket each.