Sarfraz takes Pakistan to 236

March 22, 2012

50 overs Pakistan 236 for 9 (Sarfraz 46*, Hafeez 40, Razzak 2-26, Shakib 2-39) v

Bangladesh

Bangladesh were favourites to crack on their biggest day as a cricketing nation. A fourth consistent performance on the trot was expected to be beyond them. But they gave an extremely creditable account of themselves with the ball and in the field, apart from a chaotic last over. Pakistan are masters of the big moment, though, and somehow find a player who performs. Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed, who had a highest ODI score of 24 and a strike-rate of 62.35 before this game, turned 199 for 8 into 236 for 9 with a 52-ball 46. Pakistan were still a few runs short on a pitch which has been favourable to the chasing side in this tournament.

The talk had been about whether Bangladesh would be able to handle the nerves of only their second ODI tournament final, but their bowling was tight and their fielding was energetic, as it had been throughout the tournament. Pakistan were not allowed to get away, except in the last over, and could be left to rue an innings of several wasted starts.

After having had a steady tournament, Bangladesh's leading ODI wicket-taker Abdur Razzak rose to the occasion, with figures of 10-3-26-2. Shakib Al Hasan weighed in with 2 for 39 but Shahadat Hossain proved expensive once again in a horror last over which contained two no-balls and went for 19.

Bangladesh's discipline till then had kept Pakistan under relentless pressure. And that pressure had brought wickets. Their openers, Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed - who had a century and a double-century stand earlier in the tournament - failed to clear the infield in their attempts to hit out. Younis Khan and Umar Akmal got rough decisions, Misbah-ul-Haq's hesitation ran him out, and Hammad Azam and Shahid Afridi threw it away.

Bangladesh had won two games and come close in a third while chasing in this tournament and Mushfiqur Rahim immediately chose to bowl again. Mashrafe Mortaza had two close lbw appeals in the opening over against Nasir Jamshed but ended up conceding two fours.

Both appeals were turned down but Mortaza was not to be denied in his third over when Jamshed charged at an offcutter, only to scoop it up to cover. An over earlier, Hafeez had survived after appearing to have been caught plumb in front on the back leg by Nazmul Hossain's incoming delivery. However, he never looked like hurting Bangladesh.

Bangladesh had no reason to complain about what happened in Nazmul's next over. Younis got a faint inside edge onto his pad but the umpire Ian Gould sent him back. Misbah tried to do his usual rescue act, along with Hafeez, but Bangladesh's fielding had its say when slight hesitation from Misbah found him short of a direct hit from the sharp Nasir Hossain.

Hafeez did put a few loose ones away but found the fielders more often than not. A charge at Razzak only resulted in a catch to mid-on. At 70 for 4, the Shere Bangla crowd was right behind their side and Pakistan were in for a long period of rebuilding.

Akmal and Azam, who hit some powerful shots, seemed to have started the salvage job in adding 59 in quick time. But Azam gave it away with a top-edged slog that was taken by the bowler Shakib. In the next over, Akmal was given caught behind down the leg side by the umpire Steve Davis though replays showed the ball had only brushed the batsman's trousers.

Afridi was his normal hit-or-depart self, and another promising innings was soon terminated a few breathtaking strokes later with a mis-hit to long-off. Umar Gul could not repeat his salvage act from the tournament opener against Bangladesh, and Sarfraz was the unlikely candidate for a mini-recovery.

He ensured Pakistan batted the full 50 overs and Bangladesh finally fell apart in the last one. Shahadat served up waist-high full tosses, and short and wide deliveries to be carted for 19, and left Pakistan's strength, their bowling, with a decent score to defend. A chase in a final is something Bangladesh have never encountered before, and it will be interesting to see whether their batting holds together like the bowling and fielding did.