Bangladesh Clobber Pakistan For A Historic Whitewash

Bangladesh 251-2 (Sarkar 127 no) beat
Pakistan 250 (Azhar 101) by eight wickets
3rd One-Day International in Mirpur
Scorecard

Soumya Sarkar scored a sublime century as Bangladesh make mince-meat of a nominal Pakistan total of 250, winning by eight wickets and taking the series 3-0 at Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.

Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first.

They got off to an absolute flyer, the opening partnership of 91 in 18 overs, giving them a solid foundation.

Debutant Sami Aslam (45) coming in the place of Sarfraz Ahmed went into fourth gear quickly, striking Bangladesh’s fastest bowler Taskin Ahmed (0-22) for three fours in the fourth over.

He smacked two more off Nasir Hossain (1-37).

Pakistan did well to get to 58 for no loss at the end of 10th over, Sami surviving a review in the last ball of the power-play.

Sami was given out caught behind in a strange manner. In a close call, the ball just about managed to kiss the bottom thumb, the umpire getting a tough call right, Sami departing after an impressive 50-ball knock.

Mohammad Hafeez’s (4) horror run continued as he was bowled by a slider from Arafat Sunny (2-43) for another low score, his tally for the series a dismal eight runs.

Azhar Ali (101) kept the momentum going hitting Nasir for two fours in the 26th over.

The duo of Azhar and Haris Sohail (52) added 98 for the third wicket in just 104 deliveries.

Pakistan went into the batting power-play 181 for two, Azhar bringing up his maiden ODI century in the 38th, the first by a Pakistan captain since Shahid Afridi managed it in 2010.

The last two overs of the batting power-play rang the death knell for Pakistan as both the set batsmen lost their wickets off successive overs. 

Pakistan, tragically managed just 39 in the last 10 overs, sinking from 203 for two to 250 all out, only Saad Nasim (22) managing a cameo.

Bangladesh were excellent with the ball, giving away just six extras.

Mashrafe Mortaza (2-44) the skipper, was excellent with the ball and so was Arafat.

Rubel Hossain (2-43) managed couple of lower-order wickets while Shakib Al Hasan (2-34) proved his worth in the team yet again with an economy of 3.4 and the two wickets of Azhar and Mohammad Rizwan (4).

Bangladesh riding a wave of confidence started the chase very stylishly. 

Sarkar (127 not out) attacked Umar Gul (0-53) early with two fours in the fourth over.

There were words exchanged as well but nothing could disrupt the opening pair’s confidence, Sarkar clobbering Hafeez (0-37) with his slightly remodelled action, for a four and six in the ninth over.

Bangladesh were solid at 48 for no loss in 10 overs.

The opening duo not only dealt with the lines of Wahab Riaz (0-30) and Junaid Khan (2-67) confidently, but also managed to get the boundaries very consistently.

Rizwan, keeping wickets, didn’t have a good start as he dropped the dangerous looking Sarkar on 48 and that turned out to be a very expensive mistake.

Tamim Iqbal (64) was dropped on 41 as well at short leg off the bowling of Zulfiqar Babar (0-56).

Hafeez went for two sixes in the next over, the opening duo switching to a higher gear.

By the time Tamim was adjudged lbw, in spite of a review, missing out on a third successive century, ending his 76-ball knock, the pair had added 145 in just under 26 overs.

Tamim’s tally of 312 runs is amongst the top-five in a three match ODI series as well.

Junaid brought Pakistan back into the game castling Mahmudullah’s (4) stumps.

Mushfiqur Rahim (49 not out) sashayed his enviable form in the series with a four off Junaid, Sarkar clobbering two more to turn it into an expensive over.

Sarkar was dropped yet again on 101, Junaid dropping a sitter after the ball was pulled straight to him, Gul the bowler.

Gul was tormented by Sarkar in his next over, as he was hit for two fours and a six.

Almost making a mockery of the famed Pakistan bowling, Bangladesh reached the target yet again inside 40 overs, Mushfiqur bringing up the victory with a four in the 40th over, the duo adding an unbeaten 97 for the third wicket in just 70 balls.

Sarkar’s 110-ball knock was studded with 13 fours and six sixes.

Hafeez, in spite of couple of big overs, was the most economical of Pakistan bowlers and Gul, who was expensive will feel hard done by because of the drops. So will Wahab.

Bangladesh swept the series 3-0 with Sarkar winning man-of-the-match and Tamim winning man-of-the-series leaving the skipper Mortaza a very happy man.

© Cricket World 2015