Pakistan romp to seven-wicket win

Cricket365
December 21, 2011

Bangladesh slumped to yet another Test defeat as Pakistan beat the failing light to chase down 103 on the final day in Dhaka and sweep the series 2-0.

Although Bangladesh put up a bit of a fight in the morning session, with Nasir Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim putting on a century partnership for the sixth wicket, Pakistan were still able to win by seven wickets and consign Bangladesh to their 63rd defeat in a 73-Test history.

Bangladesh have avoided defeat in just one of their last 12 matches, and that was largely thanks to two full days being lost in a Test against West Indies in Chittagong two months ago.

They were beaten by an innings and 184 runs inside four days in the first Test against Pakistan, and conspired to lose this second Test despite Pakistan going into the fourth day still trailing on first innings.

However two collapses eventually cost them the match – one on the fourth evening when they slumped to 95 for five, the other on the final afternoon when they lost their last five wickets for just 22 runs – despite the partnership between Nasir and Mushfiqur.

Going into day five on 114 for five – a deficit of 18 – with their last recognised pair at the crease, another heavy defeat was looming large for the hosts, but the pair took their partnership to 117 to give Bangladesh an overall lead of 80.

However Nasir's dismissal for 79 triggered the collapse as he was bowled through the gate by left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, who went on to claim the equally crucial scalp of Mushfiqur (53).

The Bangladeshi skipper invited criticism by throwing his wicket away in search of runs, running down the pitch and hitting in the air to mid-off when spending time in the middle was more important.

It allowed Rehman and Saeed Ajmal to run through the rest of the Bangladeshi line-up, as Rehman finished with four wickets for the innings.

Ajmal brought Bangladesh's innings to a close on 234 when he had Robiul Islam stumped, which brought up his 50th wicket of 2011.

That left Pakistan requiring 103 runs from 40 overs, although with bad light a constant problem in Dhaka the tourists knew that they might not have that many overs to play with.

The first seven overs of Pakistan's innings brought just nine runs and the wicket of first-innings centurion Taufeeq Umar, but Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali began to find the gaps and added 28 in four overs to take the tourists to tea on 37 for one.

The runs continued to flow after the break, with 33 added in 28 balls before Hafeez perished for the cause when he mishit to long-on to depart for 47.

Ali was also dismissed, bowled by Elias Sunny for 34, but captain Misbah-ul-Haq sealed a successful year for his side when he drilled Sunny over long-off for six to take Pakistan to victory in the growing gloom.