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Untitled Document
 Pakistan crush Bangladesh in Tri-Series opener
8th Jun 2008 23:30 IST
Agencies
Pakistan bulldozed Bangladesh by 70 runs in the rain-curtailed Tri-Series opener to extend their unbeaten run in One-Day Internationals to 12 at Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Mirpur tonight.
Riding on sparkling half-centuries by Salman Butt (70) and Mohammad Yousuf (59) Pakistan scored a challenging 233 before being folded in 39.3 overs, after sent in to bat in a match reduced to a 40-40 affair.
They then restricted their rivals to 163/8 in their quota of 40 overs to register their 12th consecutive win.
Flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi (3/19) and left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz (3/22) swung their arm to good effects sharing six wickets between them, breaking the spine of Bangladesh batting.
Hosts' skipper Mohammad Ashraful was the only batsman who put up some resistance though he was not his usual attacking self and adopted a defensive approach.
He remained unbeaten on 56 and strangely played last over of the match as a maiden, bowled by Younis Khan.
Shahriar Nafees (9) and Tamim Iqbal provided a steady if not flamboyant start to Bangladesh against a good Pakistan attack, led by Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir.
The opening pair put up 35 runs before Riaz, who was playing only his second One-day match, had Nafees caught behind the wickets.
Iqbal joined his partner in the dressing room soon when Afridi beat him in the air and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal did not waste anytime to dislodge his stumps.
Ashraful stood at one end watching his team-mates coming and going as Raqibul Hasan (8) too started his walk back to the pavilion becoming second victim of Riaz.
The first three batsmen succumb to casual shots not helping the hosts in any way to build partnerships, needed to get close to the big target set by their rivals.
Soon Bangladesh were tottering at 77/4 with Afridi dismissing Alok Kapali for nought as the batsman failed to negotiate a faster delivery and drew the ball on to his leg stump.
Bangladesh were heading for a defeat only from here as their batsmen lacked passion and fire in their belly needed to overhaul the big target.
Gul then dealt a twin-blow to the hosts removing Mahmudullah and Mashrafe Mortaza in the 30th over of the innings, ending all hopes of getting close to the target.
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