Close Pakistan (490 for 9 dec, Abdur Razzaq 134, Rashid Latif 94) beat Bangladesh (160 and 152, Danish Kaneria 7-77) by an innings and 178 runs
scorecard

Bangladesh plunged to another big innings defeat in Dhaka today as Pakistan returned to Test cricket without being tested. After Waqar Younis's heroics on the first day, and Abdur Razzaq's century yesterday, Danish Kaneria's fledgling legspin dominated today's proceedings, taking a Test-best 7 for 77 and leaving Bangladesh's frail batting in tatters once again. Unable to bat for a whole day, or bowl a side out at all, Bangladesh are currently finding Test cricket an almost impossible challenge.

It was fitting that Kaneria concluded the match, his seventh wicket bringing Bangladesh's frenetic and flimsy second innings to a close. Fahim Muntasir was his final victim as the substitute fielder, Mohammad Sami, raced from mid-off to hang on to a spiralling lofted drive. Muntasir, on his debut, had tonked perkily for 33 from 53 balls, striking Kaneria for a hefty six over long-on, and notching four other neat boundaries.

Bangladesh's innings was utterly typical, with a few brisk cameos doing little to stem the steady flow of wickets. After lasting only 53.2 overs for 160 in the first innings, they perished for 152 in 43.3 overs this time around. In all, their two innings lasted 407 minutes, barely more than a day's play.

For a brief time this morning, it looked like Bangladesh might at least produce a proper Test innings (defeat being generally acknowledged as inevitable), as openers Mehrab Hossain and Mohammad Ashraful collected 38 sanely crafted runs. However, a double-wicket maiden from Kaneria quickly persuaded the Bangladeshis that it was not worth their while hanging around. Kaneria first induced a defensive grope from Hossain, which Inzamam ul Haq roused himself at the second attempt to take, and then, next ball, dismissed the dangerous Habibul Bashar who swished cluelessly to short-cover.

The rest of the innings served as a showcase for the silky strokeplay and defensive deficiency which characterises Bangladeshi batting – although Pakistan, despite missing the injured Wasim, did bowl very well. The glossy-haired Razzaq nipped in to knock over Mohammad Ashraful and Aminul Islam, scorers of two of Bangladesh's very occasional Test centuries, while Waqar brought himself on to curtail Al-Shahriar's dazzling 15-ball 21.

But the seamers served only to support Kaneria, who clearly likes playing Bangladesh. In his previous match against them he claimed 12 for 94, so he now has 21 wickets at 9.76 against these floundering minnows. Kaneria will bowl better for worse figures, and he took stick from the tail-enders, Enamul Haque, Mohammad Sharif and Muntasir, before he dismissed them.

Pakistan had earlier batted rather strangely. Perhaps confused by the complete absence of pressure, Inzamam scored a sludgy 43 before Waqar declared with a lead of 330. As Bangladesh have only passed 330 once in their history an innings defeat seemed inevitable, something the subsequent 43.3 overs emphatically confirmed.

This was Bangladesh's third successive innings defeat, and their sixth (from ten attempts) in all. They may be gathering vital experience all the time, but remain very much at the bottom of a perilously steep learning curve. The second and final Test starts next Thursday.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd