Mushfiq, bowlers leave Pak reeling
ABUDHABI: Mushfiqur Rahim fell a run short from his seventh ODI century while Mohammad Mithun made 60 to lift Bangladesh to 239 all out against Pakistan in the final Super Four match of the Asia Cup on Wednesday.
At the time of going to print, Pakistan were 96/5 in 26 overs. Imam-ul-Haq (45) and Asif Ali (1) were at the crease.
Pakistan were reduced to 18/3 inside four overs after Mustafizur Rahman rattled their top-order by dismissing Babar Azam and Sarfraz Ahmed. Mehidy Hasan took the wicket of opener Fakhar Zaman. Earlier, Mushfiqur (99) rescued Bangladesh with a 144run fourth wicket stand with Mithun after they were reduced to 12 for three inside five overs. For Pakistan, comeback man Junaid Khan shone with the ball, registering impressive figures of 4/19 in nine overs.
Left-arm pacer Junaid did the early damage, removing openers Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar in his consecutive overs.
One-down Mominul Haque failed once again as he was cleaned up by young left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi (2/47) in the fourth over.
But Bangladesh’s go to man in crisis situations, Mushfiqur once again came to his side’s rescue. In Mithun’s company, he first stabilised the rocking ship and in the process brought up the century stand in 176 deliveries.
Both Mushfiqur and Mithun punished the bad deliveries that came their way. But just when the partnership was looking dangerous, Pakistan got the vital breakthrough in the form of Mithun who was caught by Hasan Ali (2/60) off his own bowling in the 35th over.
Mithun’s second fifty of his career came off 84 balls with the help of just four boundaries.
Imrul Kayes (9) looked shaky from the onset and didn’t last long, falling LBW to leg-spinner Shadab Khan (1/52).
Mushfiqur, however, went about his business with a calm head and looked set for a well-deserved century but luck was not on his side as he sneaked a good length delivery from Afridi to Sarfraz Ahmed just one short of the three-figure mark.