One more for Afridi as Bangladesh lose their way

Dhaka:Pakistan won by 70 runs Veteran Alok Kapali, returning to the Bangladesh team after nearly two years, returned figures of 3-49 off eight overs as Pakistan, threatening to run away with the match, ended at 233 all out in the first math of the tri-series at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.

Kapali's leg-spinners took care of the top Pakistani bastmen in Salman Butt, Mohd. Yousuf and Shahid Afridi, while left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak polished off the tail in one over as Pakistan failed to bat their 40 overs.

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However, the score of 233 may not be such a bad deal, considering that the rain may have a role to play.

For Pakistan, Butt scored yet another half-century while Yousuf contributed 59. Misbah-ul-Haq scored a breezy 39 off 22 balls when Pakistan were looking like losing momentum.

Earlier, Bangladesh skipper Mohd. Ashraful decided to send Pakistan in to bat in the first match of the series.

The decision had a lot to do with the fact that the match has currently been reduced to 41 overs each, and Ashraful naturally wants to see how things go.

The rain had come to put up a predictable dampener to the first match, as showers ensured that the game does not begin in time.

The tournament, coming immediately after the end of the Indian Premier League, was already struggling to make its presence felt, and the weather would not be an encouragement.

This time of the year is when the monsoon begins in part of the continent and the fact that this tournament has been scheduled for now only goes on reflect how much importance it actually has.

While the showers stopped and the covers were brought on at around 2.45 p.m. local time, they came on soon thereafter and the ground staff were doing their best to prepare the ground.

Bangladesh return to big-time cricket after a while, since only one of their players, left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, got to see action in the IPL.

Several of the Pakistan players, however, would be in good shape as they have seen a lot of cricket over the past month.

Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik decided to field promising seamer Wahab Riaz, while young Fawad Alam also got a look-in.

Teams:

Bangladesh: Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan, Alok Kapali, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mashrafe Mortaza, Dolar Mahmud, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain.

Pakistan: Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal (wk), Mohd Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Salman Butt, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik (capt), Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Younis Khan.