 Pakistan beat Bangladesh in Cape Town
20th Sep 2007 23:01 IST
Agencies
Debutant Junaid Siddique's sparkling 71 went in vain as a lackadaisical Pakistan, with a ticket to the semifinal in their pocket, tamed Bangladesh by four wickets in an inconsequential match of the Twenty20 World Cup at Newlands in Cape Town today.
Junaid's 49-ball 71 was the highlight of the Bangladesh innings after the minnows were inserted by Pakistani captain Shoaib Malik. Bangladesh were all out for 140 runs with two more deliveries to go.
Chasing 141 for a win, Pakistan hardly looked convincing even though they managed to reach the target with one over to spare. Shahid Afridi, opening the innings, top scored with a 15-ball 39 that included two sixes and five boundaries, while Imran Nazir, hit in the groin by Mashrafe Mortaza's third delivery, returned to remain not out on 27.
After Nazir returned for treatment, Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez (23) were going great guns and the duo added 59 runs inside six overs when Syed Rasel had Hafeez caught by Tamim Iqbal.
Hafeez, who made 23 off 21, was caught in the deep off Rasel. Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak got the vital wicket of Afridi as Pakistan slipped to 69/3.
Pakistan lost three more wickets and slumped to 119/6 before Nazir and Butt saw them through.
continued.. |
