Pakistan spinners complete clean sweep (Bulletin)

Just when Bangladesh looked like winning a match against Pakistan, a floodlight failure proved to be the turning point as the hosts lost nine wickets for 58 after the interruption while chasing 178 to be skittled for 119. The Pakistan spinners claimed all the wickets to fall in the Bangladesh innings. The visitors too struggled against spin but a 94-run stand between Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal pushed them to a middling total on a bowler friendly pitch.

Pakistan chose to make first use of a strip that was heavy loaded in favour of bowlers. In addition to lavish turn, the ball stopped on the batsmen consistently and low bounce made life difficult for Pakistan batsmen as well as Bangladesh wicket-keeper, Mushfiqur Rahim. The first dismissal of the day was enough to indicate that batting was going to be a struggle. On the fourth delivery of innings, Hafeez was early into a routine push on a short and wide delivery resulting in an easy catch in the covers.

Asad Shafiq, drafted into the side at Imran Farhat’s expense, was bowled by an arm ball from Shakib-Al-Hasan. Younis Khan changed his style a bit to adapt to the tough conditions but was caught behind on 16 trying to drill a full Razzak delivery through the off-side. After 11.1 overs, Pakistan were in a spot of bother at 39 for three.

With the Bangladesh spinners giving nothing away, Pakistan’s recovery, to begin with, was an attritional affair. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq joined forces with Umar Akmal to put the floundering innings back on track with sensible batting. Till 24th over, there wasn’t a single boundary. Even the usually aggressive Umar Akmal was forced to concentrate on ones and twos.

Misbah broke the shackles with three boundaries off Elias Sunny and Umar went inside-out against Nasir Hossain as Pakistan upped the ante with positive stroke-play. As the fourth wicket stand neared three figures, Pakistan were beginning to take control. But, Bangladesh struck in the nick of time, Razzak removed Misbah for 47 in the 36th over.

This triggered a collapse which saw Pakistan lose their way from a healthy score of 133 for 3 to 177 all-out. Shoaib Malik’s nightmarish return to international cricket continued, caught and bowled by Razzak for zero and Shahid Afridi’s heave found Nasir Hossain in the deep. Umar Akmal celebrated his fifty with a slog over long on but fell to Elias trying to hit one too many out of the park. Mahmudullah polished off the remaining three wickets in just seven balls to return with figures of 1.1-0-4-3.

Since Pakistan were dismissed well before the scheduled break, Bangladesh openers were left to negotiate six overs till the interval. But, Hafeez needed only one ball to separate them, Tamim Iqbal beaten by turn for a first ball duck.

Given Bangladesh’s problems against spin, another capitulation was in sight but Mahmudullah and Shahriar Nafees put their heads down to keep the chase alive. Even though Pakistan’s army of spinners made the ball do all kinds of tricks, the pair didn’t get bogged down and scored at an acceptable rate.

A flurry of boundaries brightened the hosts’ prospects after the mandatory powerplay as the Bangladesh score motored along. After fifteen overs, Bangladesh were sitting pretty at 61 for one but a match-changing event was about to happen.

A floodlight failure held up play for about fifteen minutes, allowing Pakistan to gather their thoughts. Saeed Ajmal broke through in the 20th over, trapping Nafees leg-before. This triggered a slide as the wheels came off the Bangladesh chase.

Rahim and Mahmudullah fell in the next two overs, Shakib was caught by Hafeez off his own bowling as the Pakistan slow bowlers spun a web around the batsmen. Bangladesh’s last hope, Nasir Hossain was sent back by Abdur Rehman- the chase was all but over at 83 for 6.

Farhad Reza and Kapali added 34 for the seventh wicket, however, the spin of World’s number one bowler Ajmal undid the good work. Shoaib Malik closed the innings with three wickets in eight deliveries to bundle out Bangladesh for 119. All the ten wickets to fall in the second innings went to the spinners.