Pakistunned! Bangladesh hand 1992 world champions 3-0 ODI series humiliation

A swashbuckling maiden century by Soumya Sarkar has fired Bangladesh to an easy eight-wicket victory over Pakistan and helped them complete 3-0 humiliation of the 1992 world champions in Mirpur.

Sports Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 April 2015, 04:09 PM
Updated : 23 April 2015, 04:51 PM

The clinical Tigers continued their dominance in the series as they chased down 251 with 63 balls to spare at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.

Bangladesh bowlers fought back brilliantly to skittle Pakistan out for 250 in 49 overs after they had threatened to break free to set a huge target.

It capped a remarkable turnaround for the Tigers who waited more than 16 years for their first win against Pakistan in any format.

For the tourists, it got from bad to worse as they went from being invincible to whipping boys in the space of a week.

Tamim Iqbal (64) and Soumya (127 not out) gave Bangladesh a solid start with a commanding 145-run opening stand.

Man-of-the-Match Soumya made his intention clear in the very first over hitting Mohammad Hafeez for four.

Tamim, adjudged Man-of-the-Series for scoring back-to-back centuries in the first two ODIs, started slow.

He could take his time as Soumya kept his foot on the gas cracking boundaries regularly.

But the dashing opener soon picked up pace by working the ball around with ease. At no time did the duo allow the Pakistan bowlers to settle down.

The pressure soon showed when Soumya was dropped on 48 by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan off Hafeez in the 18th over.

After Soumya and Tamim bludgeoned Hafeez for two sixes over the straight boundary in the 22nd over, the latter brought up his 29th ODI fifty off 62 balls in the next.

Tamim missed out on a third consecutive century in the series as he departed lbw to Junaid Khan in the 26th over after making 64. 

Mahmudullah (4) again failed to come good and fell in Junaid’s next over.

Mushfiqur Rahim, who remained unbeaten on 49, kept the runs coming once he settled in.

The ecstatic crowd was up on their feet as Soumya hammered captain Azhar Ali over the deep midwicket for a huge six to bring up his fabulous century, off just 94 balls.

He decked his innings with 13 boundaries and six sixes.

With humiliation staring at them, Pakistan were at their wits’ end when Junaid dropped a sitter after Soumya hoisted Umar Gul to deep midwicket in the 36th over.

Gul was creamed for 18 when he came back to bowl his next over as Mushfiq swept Junaid to fine leg for a boundary to bring up the winning runs and send the capacity crowd and millions sitting before television into spasm of delight.

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers made a spectacular comeback to restrict Pakistan to a below-par total.

New captain Azhar led the way for Pakistan with a century, but a dramatic collapse saw his side lose their final eight wickets for 47 runs in 10.2 overs.

Azhar, who replaced Misbah-ul-Haq after Pakistan’s elimination in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, made 101 from 112 balls—his first ODI ton.

The tourists were off to a fine start, though.

Azhar put on 91 for the opening wicket with teenage debutant Sami Aslam, who made 45 from 50 balls after electing to bat.

The pair was aggressive at the outset and later mixed aggression with caution before Nasir Hossain got the first breakthrough to send Aslam back.

After a third failure in a row from Hafeez (4), bowled by Arafat Sunny, Azhar shared a solid 98-run partnership with Haris Sohail. 

Azhar scored his splendid century off 111 balls with 10 boundaries.

On 203 for 2 in the 39th over, Pakistan looked set to post a total in excess of 300.

But the two went back in quick succession to eventually put paid to their hopes.

Shakib Al Hasan, who had been economical from his first spell, came back into the attack and struck twice in two overs to put a dent to Pakistan’s prospects of a huge score.

He skidded in an arm ball to peg back Azhar’s off-stump in the 39th over.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza chipped in with two wickets dismissing Sohail (52) four balls later. Fawad Alam (4) was caught brilliantly by Nasir in deep square leg.

Pakistan buckled with only Saad Nasim (22) reaching double figures as Rubel Hossain and Sunny cleaned up the Pakistan tail.

Mashrafe, Sunny, Shakib and Rubel bagged two wickets apiece.

The teams next play a one-off Twenty20 International on Friday.