Salvaging some pride: Pakistan claim series with 328-run win

The victory was the visitors’ first in six matches on this tour against Bangladesh

DHAKA:

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed a match haul of seven wickets as dominant Pakistan crushed Bangladesh by 328 runs in the second and final Test in Dhaka on Saturday to clinch the series 1-0.

The hosts, who resumed their second-innings at 63-1 chasing an improbable target of 550, were dismissed for just 221 in the post-lunch session of the fourth day at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

Yasir, who took 3-58 in the first innings, once again baffled the Bangladesh batsmen with his leg-spin and googly on the wearing pitch to grab 4-73 in the second knock.

Mominul Haque played a lone hand for the hosts with 68, joining West Indies great Vivian Richards and the Indian duo of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the list of batsmen to score 50 runs or more in 11 consecutive Tests — one short of record-holder South African AB de Villiers’ record of 12.

Shuvagata Hom hit 39, sharing a ninth-wicket stand of 44 with Muhammad Shahid, to steer Bangladesh past the 200-run mark after they were reduced to 143-7 soon after lunch.

The match ended at the fall of the ninth wicket as Shahadat Hossain was unable to bat after suffering a serious knee injury on the first day.

The win helped Pakistan end an otherwise dismal month-long tour on a positive note after being routed 3-0 in the one-day series and losing to Bangladesh for the first time in a Twenty20 international.

It was Bangladesh’s ninth loss to Pakistan in 10 Tests, the only consolation coming through a draw in the first Test of the short series in Khulna last week where a remarkable opening partnership in the second-innings helped Bangladesh salvage a draw from the jaws of defeat.

“This was a much-needed win for us,” said Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq, extending his record as Pakistan’s most successful Test captain to 16; two clear of greats Imran Khan and Javed Miandad. “The team showed great character after what happened in the earlier games.”

The skipper praised the middle-order duo of Younus Khan and Azhar Ali, who impressed in the first-innings. “The key was the way Younus and Azhar batted in the first innings to put up a 250-run stand. There was also more bounce in this wicket than in Khulna which our bowlers enjoyed.”

However, Misbah also reserved words of praise for Bangladesh, who emerged with more credit from the tour than Pakistan despite the Test loss. “Bangladesh must be congratulated [for] the way they played on this tour,” he said. “The draw in the first Test was like a victory for them. I wish them well for the future.”

Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim said he was very disappointed at the defeat after losing a frontline bowler in Shahadat on the first morning.

“Nothing went right for us from the first day,” he said. “I don’t think we executed our plans well and that is why we lost the game.”

Rahim said his team would however take a lot of positives into next month’s one-off Test at home against India which will be followed by three one-day internationals.

“Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes had a good series and Mominul scored well consistently. But the bowlers need to be aggressive to keep us in the game for five days. They must realise that to compete for and win Test matches, 20 wickets need to be taken. We will look to do that against India.”

Pakistan turned the screws on the hosts with four quick wickets in the morning session to leave the rivals tottering at 126-5.

Seamer Imran Khan, a late replacement for the injured Rahat Ali, dealt two major blows when he removed the in-form Tamim and Muhammad Mahmudullah in the space of nine runs.

Tamim, who scored a double-century in the first Test, was caught behind by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed for 42 as he slashed at a short delivery from Imran.

Mahmudullah made two before he edged Imran to second slip where Younus picked up the catch on the second attempt as Bangladesh slipped from 86-1 to 95-3.

Off-spinner Muhammad Hafeez struck in his first over when Shakib alHasan (13) stepped out to loft a flighted ball and gave Wahab Riaz an easy catch at mid-off. And when the skipper fell soon after, the match was all but over.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2015.

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