Pakistan v. Bangladesh - Test Series

[Donny]

New-look Pakistan all set to take on tired Bangladesh
Wisden CricInfo staff - August 19, 2003

Pakistan are looking forward to the first Test against Bangladesh at Karachi on August 20. Not because it offers a chance to rack up some easy runs and wickets, but because it is the perfect platform on which to build a young team for the future. Seven of the 15 players in the Pakistan squad are uncapped and it is a great opportunity for the newcomers to get a feel of international cricket against easy opposition.

Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, spearheads of the side for more than a decade, are both absent. Saeed Anwar has retired, and Saqlain Mushtaq is not available due to his county commitments with Surrey. Rashid Latif, captaining Pakistan for the first time at home, said: "This is a new side full of talent and has done well in one-day tournaments and now we hope that the new boys put the team on the right track with this Test."

One of the newcomers who has done well in one-day cricket is Mohammad Hafeez, the allrounder who played a key role in Pakistan's victory in the quadrangular tournament in Sharjah. Taufeeq Umar, the left-hand opening batsman who has sparkled brightly on occasion but has lacked consistency, gets another chance to cement his place in the side. Misbah-ul-Haq, who had been dropped after a miserable series against Australia last year, gets another chance to show that he has what it takes to cut it at the top level.

The burden of the batting, however, will be borne by Yousuf Youhana and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Inzamam returns to the side with a point to prove – he was dropped after Pakistan's World Cup debacle, and his future appeared to be in doubt for a while. His looming presence underscores the impact he has on the psyche of lesser teams – he may not be green, but for the Bangladesh side, he's a hulk all right.

Shoaib Akhtar will be spearheading the pace attack, with reliable spin support from Danish Kaneria. Kaneria has taken 25 wickets in the three matches he has played so far against Bangladesh, and his relish for them will be enhanced by the way they were taken apart by Stuart MacGill recently.

The Bangladesh team, which is more or less the same side that lost to Australia recently, will not give in easily, though. "This will be different from the last time we played against Pakistan as we are progressing well and hope to put up a better show," said Khaled Mahmud, their captain. "We know how desperately we need to lift ourselves and with some positives from the tour of Australia we hope improvement will come."

Dav Whatmore, who took over as coach just before the tour of Australia, said, "Pakistan are not as strong as Australia and so we will try to put in a better show," he said. "[The tour] is a testing ground for us and we have to prove our mettle."

Bangladesh's batsmen have, in the past, shown some mettle – but not for long. Their propensity to throw away starts is reflected perfectly in the Test record of their most successful batsman, Habibul Bashar, who has crossed 50 on as many as 13 occasions, but has only one hundred to show for his efforts. Bangladesh have always had silver linings – now they must get rid of that darned cloud.

Squads
Pakistan Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Hameed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Misbah-ul-Haq, Rashid Latif (capt, wk), Shoaib Akhtar, Umer Gul, Shabbir Ahmad, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Bin Nasir, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Khalil, Farhan Adil.

Bangladesh Khaled Mahmud (capt), Hannan Sarker, Javed Omar, Habibul Bashar, Sanwar Hossain, Mohammad Ashraful, Razin Saleh, Alok Kapali, Mohammad Rafique, Khaled Mashud (wk), Tapash Baishya, Monjurul Islam, Anwar Hossain, Alamgir Kabir, Mashrafe Bin Murtaza.

[Donny]

Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.

Akhtar went for 7 from his opening over - a 4 and a 3 to Sarkar.

[Donny]

At stumps, Bangladesh are on 9/278. Bashar made 71, Kapali, 46 and Sarkar, 41.

Kaneria took 3/58 and Akhtar, Gul and Ahmed each took two.

If it was a greentop, as reported, then the Bangers did very well.

[Donny]

All out 288. Ahmed took the last wicket to finish with 3/61.

Pakistan lost an early wicket but Umar and Hameed added 97 before Umar went for 38 and, next over, Inzi went for a duck. They are 3/169.

Yasir Hameed, on debut, scored an excellent century and is 103 n.o.

[Donny]

After 64 overs, Pakistan are 3/200.

Hameed is on 123 and Youhana is 35.

[Donny]

Youhana went for 46 after he and Hameed (145 n.o.) had added 131 for the 4th. wicket. 4/235.

[Donny]

Hameed was dismissed for 170 and Pakistan are 5/282 - 6 runs behind Bangladesh.

[Donny]

At stumps, Pakistan is 5/301.

Rashid Latif is 27 n.o. and Misbah-ul-Haq, 12 n.o.

[Donny]

Latif went on to 54 n.o. but the rest didn't bother the scorer too much as Pakistan were dismissed for 346, 58 runs ahead.

Mortaza took 3/68 and Rafique, 3/76.

After 10 overs, Bangladesh are 1/21.

[Donny]

The Bangers have almost wiped off the deficit. After 20 overs they are 1/55 with Sarkar on 21 and Bashar, 19.

[Donny]

At tea, Bangladesh is 2/77. Sarkar went for 30 and Bashar is 29 n.o.

[Donny]

Bashar continues to impress at Test level. He's 56 n.o. and Bangladesh moves on to 3/119 - 61 ahead.

[Donny]

At stumps, Bangladesh are 3/163 with Bashar on 82 and Saleh, 27.

They are 105 ahead with two days to go.

[HAL]

Tell me more about them. . . . .

[Donny]

OK, HAL.

Habibul Bashar went on to his century (108). It was his second in Tests. His partnership with Saleh was 111.

Danish Kaneria dismissed Bashar and then Kapali (1) soon after. He has 2/60

The Bangers are now 5/203, a lead of 145. Could be interesting if they can put on another 100 or so.