Pakistan complete series sweep in fading light

DHAKA: Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman broke through Bangladesh’s resistance before Pakistan raced against fading light to complete a seven-wicket win on the final day of the second cricket test on Wednesday.

Set a winning score of 103, Pakistan had no choice but to try to score quickly to claim a 2-0 series win, playing most of the final two sessions on the fifth day under floodlights.

Opener Mohammad Hafeez led Pakistan’s victory charge with 47 off 52 balls before his attempted slog off Shakib Al Hasan ended at long-on fielder Shahadat Hossain.

He added 63 runs with Azhar Ali for the second wicket after first innings centurion Taufiq Umar was dismissed for three when he lofted a catch to Nazimuddin at midwicket off Nazmul Hossain.

Azhar was last man out when left-arm Elias Sunny bowled him for 34 off 43 balls with Pakistan two runs away from a win.

Misbah-ul Haq completed the win with a six as Pakistan raced to 107 runs in 20.5 overs amid fears that the umpire might stop play for bad light.

The hosts were looking comfortable after a delayed start due to fog before Rehman revived Pakistan’s hopes by ending a dogged 117-run sixth-wicket stand between Nasir Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim to finish with career-best figures of 4-51.

Saeed Ajmal then claimed the final two wickets to complete a typical Bangladesh collapse.

The home side resumed after lunch on 200-5 but lost their last five wickets for 34 to be bowled out in their second innings with an hour remaining before the tea interval.

Rehman bowled Nasir for 79 runs before he had Rahim caught by Ajmal at mid-off for 53 as Bangladesh crumbled after surviving the morning session unscathed.

Nasir struck 11 fours for his maiden test fifty while Rahim hit seven fours.

Younis Khan took a brilliant catch at first slip to send back the next batsman Shahadat off Rehman and Ajmal soon bowled Sunny for four and dragged last man Robiul Islam out of the crease for a stumping to end the innings.

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Nasir, Rahim defy Pakistan’s attack

DHAKA: Nasir Hossain hit a maiden Test half-century to keep Pakistan’s attack at bay as Bangladesh reached 200-5 in their second innings at lunch on the last day of the second and final Test on Wednesday.

The hosts, who conceded a 132-run lead, were 68 runs ahead with five wickets in hand, with Nasir unbeaten on 76 with skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (40 not out).

The last pair of specialist batsmen have so far put on 105 runs for the unbroken sixth-wicket stand to deny the tourists success in the morning session with their sensible batting under pressure.

Bangladesh added 86 runs off 29 overs to their overnight total of 114-5 after a delayed start due to fog.

Playing only his fourth Test, Nasir has so far hit 11 fours in his 155-ball knock and Rahim six boundaries in a 101-ball innings.

Nasir began impressively as he hit paceman Aizaz Cheema for two successive fours in the bowler’s opening spell before reaching his half-century with two runs to deep square-leg off off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

He gave a difficult chance on 51 off fast bowler Umar Gul, but Azhar Ali failed to hold on to the ball at gully.

Rahim waited patiently for loose deliveries to punish, turning Ajmal to fine-leg and then fluently driving the spinner through the covers for fours before slashing Cheema over the slips for a boundary.

Pakistan lead 1-0 in the series after winning the first Test in Chittagong by an innings and 184 runs.

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Pakistan eye sweep despite Shakib show

DHAKA: Umar Gul and Aizaz Cheema each took two wickets to boost Pakistan’s chances of winning the second and final Test against Bangladesh on Tuesday despite Shakib Al Hasan’s superb all-round display.

The hosts were struggling at 114-5 in their second innings at stumps on the penultimate day after conceding a lead of 132, with paceman Gul bagging two wickets off successive balls and Cheema finishing the day with 2-41.

Nasir Hossain was unbeaten on 30 with Mushfiqur Rahim on seven not out.

Pakistan lead 1-0 in the series after winning the first Test in Chittagong by an innings and 184 runs.

Gul dismissed free-scoring Tamim Iqbal (21) and Shahriar Nafees for no score with his last two balls before the tea break after Pakistan were bowled out for 470 in their first innings in reply to Bangladesh’s 338.

Tamim, who hit Cheema for three fours in an over, looked surprised when adjudged caught by skipper Misbah-ul-Haq at first slip while attempting to hook Gul, as TV replays suggested the ball had come off the helmet.

Shakib, who smashed a career-best 144 in the first innings, also impressed as a left-arm spinner as he took 6-82 to become the first Bangladeshi to score a century and bag five or more wickets in a Test.

He took five of the seven Pakistani wickets to fall in the day to complete his ninth haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings.

Misbah earlier made an impressive 70 and Adnan Akmal hit 53 for his maiden Test half-century as Pakistan batted steadily in the opening two sessions after resuming at 292-3.

Younis Khan (49), Asad Shafiq (42) and Abdur Rehman (24) were the other main scorers.

Bangladesh’s fielding remained below par as they let off Misbah and Shafiq in the opening session and Akmal in the second after having dropped three catches on Monday.

Misbah played handsome shots in his 14th Test half-century, driving paceman Nazmul Hossain through the covers and then straight for two successive fours before twice reverse-sweeping left-arm spinner Elias Sunny for boundaries.

But he was lucky to survive soon after completing his 50 as Robiul Islam dropped an easy catch at mid-on off Shakib. He eventually fell sweeping, caught by Mohammad Mahmudullah in the slips off Shakib.

The Pakistani skipper hit 11 fours in his 123-ball knock.

Shafiq started impressively, cutting and flicking paceman Shahadat Hossain for two boundaries in an over before being trapped leg-before by seamer Robiul.

Sunny got a wicket with his second delivery of the day when he had Younis caught behind. He had a chance to take another wicket but Mahmudullah dropped Shafiq on 36.

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