Rauf's best helps Pakistan skittle Bangladesh for 115

Paceman Abdur Rauf recorded career-best figures of 3-24 to help Pakistan dismiss Bangladesh for a paltry 115 in the last Super League match of the Asia Cup at National Stadium here on Friday.

The 29-year-old rattled Bangladesh's top order with a triple strike in his first spell after the visitors won the toss and elected to bat in overcast conditions.

Rauf, whose previous best of 3-45 came in his debut match against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura earlier this year, had opener Nazimuddin (three), captain Mohammad Ashraful (14) and Tamim Iqbal (26) in his incisive seven-over spell.

With nothing to play for except pride for both teams as titleholders Sri Lanka and India have already qualified for the July 6 final, Bangladesh's batsmen never looked at ease against a disciplined Pakistan bowling.

Iqbal and Ashraful made the only productive stand of 41 for the second wicket. Ashraful hit Rauf for a six before edging the next ball straight to slip.

Alok Kapali (17) and Mushfiqur Rahim (15) offered little resistance but once Rahim was run out, paceman Rao Iftikhar struck twice with the wickets of Kapali and Mashrafe Mortaza (one) to finish with 2-20.

Iftikhar, who was hit for three boundaries by Kapali in his first over, bowled six of his 10 overs maiden.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal took 2-19.

Pakistan dropped out-of-form allrounder Shahid Afridi from the line-up which beat India on Wednesday. Captain Shoaib Malik, who missed the last match due to dehydration, returned after regaining full fitness.

Bangladesh remained unchanged from the line-up which lost to Sri Lanka on Monday.

Scoreboard

Bangladesh:

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Nazimuddin), 2-47 (Ashraful), 3-48 (Hasan), 4-49 (Iqbal), 5-73 (Kapali), 6-92 (Rahim), 7-99 (Mahmudullah), 8-100 (Mortaza), 9-113 (Razzak)

Bowling:

Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younus Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul Haq, Rao Iftikhar, Sarfraz Ahmed, Sohail Tanveer, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rauf

Toss: Bangladesh

Umpires: Tony Hill (NZL), Ian Gould (ENG)

TV umpire: Gamini Silva (SRI)

Match referee: Alan Hurst (AUS)