Pakistan beat Bangladesh in first ODI

Shahid Afridi grabbed five wickets for 23 runs and then kept his cool in a batting crisis as Pakistan overcame Bangladesh by five wickets in the first one-day international in Dhaka Thursday, reports AFP.

The leg-spinner ripped through the Bangladesh line-up as the hosts were bowled out for 91 after electing to bat at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium-with seven batsmen failing to reach double figures.

Pakistan lost five wickets chasing the modest target which was eventually overhauled in the 26th over to give the tourists the lead in the three-match series.

Seamer Rubel Hossain and spinner Shakib Al Hasan claimed two wickets apiece to leave Pakistan struggling at 63-5, before Afridi took his team home with an unbeaten 24 off 23 balls.

As the runs dried up on the turning wicket, Afridi broke free with three successive fours off Shakib and then cut the same bowler for another boundary to win the game.

Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq made 16 not out, sharing a match-winning stand of 30 with Afridi.

It was Pakistan's 26th win in 27 one-dayers against Bangladesh, the lone defeat having come during the 1999 World Cup in England.

Bangladesh, who lost half the side for 31 runs on the slow wicket, were dismissed in 30.3 overs and barely managed to surpass their lowest one-day total against Pakistan of 87.

Wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed picked up four catches as the four Pakistani spinners shared eight of the 10 wickets.

Bangladesh's batting never recovered after losing opener Tamim Iqbal with the fourth ball of the innings, trapped leg-before by off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez.

Bangladesh:

Tamim Iqbal lbw b Hafeez 0

Shahriar Nafees c Malik b Afridi 7

Naeem Islam c Misbah b Gul 5

Mushfiqur Rahim c Sarfraz b Malik 11

Shakib Al Hasan c Akmal b Afridi 15

Mohammad Mahmudullah c Sarfraz b Afridi 1

Nasir Hossain c Sarfraz b Cheema 21

Farhad Reza lbw b Afridi 1

Abdur Razzak c Younis b Ajmal 3

Shafiul Islam c Sarfraz b Afridi 0

Rubel Hossain not out 15

Extras: (b2, lb2, w8) 12

Total: (all out, 30.3 overs) 91

Pakistan:

Mohammad Hafeez c Nafees b Rubel 22

Imran Farhat b Nasir 12

Younis Khan c Rahim b Shakib 2

Sarfraz Ahmed c Shakib b Rubel 2

Misbah-ul-Haq not out 16

Umar Akmal b Shakib 7

Shahid Afridi not out 24

Extras: (lb4, w4) 8

Total: (for five wickets, 

25.4 overs) 93

Result: Pakistan won by five wickets, leads 1-0 in three-match series.

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Bangladesh face Pakistan in first ODI today

Bangladesh will play Pakistan in the first match of the Cool & Cool three-match ODI series today (Thursday) at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, reports UNB.

The day/night match will start at 1:30 pm. Match will be telecast live on BTV (Bangladesh), Super Sports. You can also enjoy the live action on web. Click here. 

Bangladesh will take to the field tomorrow with a very poor record againstPakistan in the limited version of cricket. The hosts have only one win against the visitors in their last 26 ODI encounters since 1986. Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 82 runs in the group match of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Northampton, England in 1999.

Pakistan played their last full three-match ODI series in Bangladesh in 2001-2002 and made a clean sweep with a 3-0 victory over Bangladesh.

In the last encounter, Pakistan crushed Bangladesh by 139 runs in the Asia Cup last year in Dambulla, Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh earlier started their home series campaign against Pakistan with a humiliating 50-runs defeat in the only T20 match at the SBNS on Tuesday. 

Bangladesh will play the second ODI against Pakistan on December 3 at the SBNS in Dhaka and the third and last ODI on Dec 6 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong under the floodlight, before the two-match Test series that will begin in Chittagong on Dec 9.


**Now BCI fans can continue their social networking on Facebook with having live actions of Cool & Cool cup. Click here to watch.

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Pakistan beat Bangladesh in T20 clash

Resurgent Pakistan continued their winning form to defeat Bangladesh by 50 runs in the one-off Twenty20 international at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday in a low-scoring affair, reports AFP.

Misbah-ul-Haq's men, buoyant after a successful series against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates, where they won in all three formats of the game, proved their mettle once again.

The tourists, playing their 50th Twenty20 match, fought back after being restricted to 135-7 to keep Bangladesh down to 85-9 on a slow wicket that hindered stroke-making.

Mohammad Hafeez claimed 2-11 in four overs and Shoaib Malik picked up two wickets in three balls as Pakistan recorded their fifth successive Twenty20 win over Bangladesh.

The Tigers were in danger of falling below their lowest T20 total of 78 against New Zealand last year when they stumbled to 69-9 in the 17th over.

But Nasir Hossain hit a defiant unbeaten 35 with two boundaries and a six to ensure Bangladesh batted out their stipulated 20 overs.

The hosts were left to rue a lethargic batting display in which nine batsmen failed to reach double figures, while two ran themselves out.

The match was as good as over when Bangladesh lost half their side by the ninth over with the total at 23.

The batsmen undid the good work by the bowlers who kept the Pakistani batting in check after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to take first strike.

Spinner Alok Kapali, the eighth bowler used by Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, picked up two for 12 and former skipper Shakib Al Hasan finished with two for 24.

Hafeez top-scored for Pakistan with 25, but found little support from the other end.

The rivals begin a three-match one-day series in Dhaka on Thursday, which will be followed by two Tests.

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Mushfiq hopes to show best cricket against Pakistan

Misbah & Gul in practice session at SBNCS

Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim Monday said if they would able to play their best cricket in the series, it would not be easy for Pakistan to beat Bangladesh, reports UNB.

"They (Pakistan) are one of the best sides… no doubt that they are favourite in the series. But, it will be not easy for Pakistan to beat us easily if we play our best cricket," said Bangladesh skipper Rahim at a pre-match press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur Monday afternoon.

He said the series against Pakistan would be very competitive if they would overcome their shortness and weakness of the team.

The diminutive wicket-keeper cum batsman Rahim said it would not be easy to get win over Pakistan, but in the shorter version cricket any team can win.

The upbeat Bangladesh skipper said it would not be impossible to beat Pakistan and they are ready to play their best cricket in this series.

The Bengal tigers made hour-long practice at the match venue prior to their only T20 match. Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal, who received leg injury during the training session in Chittagong, also made practice in the team on Monday.

Former World champions Pakistan and Bangladesh will start their campaign taking with T20 match today (Tuesday) at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city.

Pakistan Cricket team, led by Misbah-Ul Haque, arrived in the capital Saturday evening on a month-long tour to play one T20, three ODIs and two Test matches against hosts Bangladesh.
Pakistani ODI and T20 squads: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema, Mohammad Khalil, Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Razzaq and Asad Shafiq.

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Tk 50,000 award for each member of Bangladesh Women's Cricket team

State Minister for Youth and Sports M Ahad Ali Sarker Sunday announced cash award of Tk 50,000 for each member of Bangladesh Women's Cricket Team, which earned ODI status in the just concluded ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers played in Bangladesh, reports UNB.

M Ahad Ali Sarker, MP, also the chairman of the National Sports Council, will accord a reception to the Bangladesh Women's Cricket Team today (Monday) at 3 pm at the NSC conference room and hand over the cash awards.

Bangladesh eve cricketers achieved their dream ODI status with an emphatic nine-wicket victory over USA in a play-off match of the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier at BKSP in Savar Thursday.

Close on the heels of achieving the one-day status, Bangladesh women's team also made a memorable start in international cricket outplaying Ireland by 82 runs in their inaugural ODI in the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers, also at BKSP ground in Savar Saturday.

With this feat, Bangladesh eves team not only celebrated their first OD1 with a comprehensive victory but also clinched the 5th place in the 10-team world cup qualifiers forcing another ODI side Ireland to suffer 2nd consecutive defeat after beating them by 95 runs in the group encounters.

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