Pakistan hand Bangladesh huge defeat, win series 1-0

Azhar Ali was adjudged man of the match and series

Mirpur, May 9 (IANS) Bangladesh crumbled facing a near impossible run chase in the second and final Test to leave Pakistan with their only win in the month-long tour, as they comprehensively beat the hosts by 328 runs here on Saturday. Pakistan thus won the series 1-0.

Chasing a colossal 550 on the fourth day, Bangladesh put up an appalling show with the bat and folded for a paltry 221 in their second innings at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. There was no real effort to stage a fight back as in the first Test at Khulna, throwing away wickets cheaply to get skittled out in the second session, reports bdnews24.com.

Neither all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan nor captain Mushfiqur Rahim could save the day as Pakistan bowlers took wickets regularly. Mominul Haque brought some momentary cheer for Bangladesh when he became the fourth batsman after Viv Richards, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to register 50-plus scores in 11 successive Tests.

Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah was once again impressive with 4/73. With the wicket taking more turn, both Shah and Mohammad Hafeez proved too tough for the hosts. Bangladesh slid quickly towards defeat in the morning, losing four wickets.

Starting the penultimate day on an overnight score of 63/1, Tamim Iqbal (42) threw away his wicket chasing a wide delivery off paceman Imran Khan. After Imran accounted for Mahmudullah's (2) wicket, Shakib (13), too, fell cheaply.

Mominul (68) took a single behind point off Shah and joined the ranks of those scoring 11 successive 50-plus scores in Tests but the joy did not last long as Mushfiqur played on Shah for a duck.

Reducing the hosts to 134/5 at lunch, Pakistan struck immediately after the break, taking out Soumya Sarkar (1) and Mominul. Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury (39) put up some resistance, sharing 34-run and 44-run stands with Taijul Islam (10) and Mohammad Shahid (14 not out) and took Bangladesh past the 200-run mark.

After Shuvagata went down to Junaid Khan, Bangladesh's innings ended as last man Shahadat Hossain was still nursing his injury.

Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali, who scored his maiden double century in the first innings, was adjudged Man of the Match and Man of the Series.

Bangladesh were skittled out for a meagre 203 in the first innings. Pakistan amassed 557/8 declared in their first innings and declared the second at 195/6.