Bangladesh set new ODI record in victory over Pakistan
Friday 17 April 2015 18:04, UK
Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim scored centuries as Bangladesh piled up their highest one-day score to beat Pakistan by 79 runs in Dhaka.
The hosts posted 329-6 as they won the first of three one-day internationals and spoiled Saeed Ajmal’s comeback to international cricket, the off-spinner finishing with his worst ODI figures of 0-74 from his 10 overs.
Left-handed opener Tamim hit 132 off 135 balls and Rahim smashed a 77-ball 106 to steer Bangladesh past their previous best total of 326-3 against the same opposition in 2014.
The pair added 178 runs for the third wicket, their country's highest partnership for any wicket, improving upon the 175 by Habibul Bashar and Rajin Saleh against Kenya in 2006.
Ajmal’s return to action after an absence of eight months due to an illegal bowling action could hardly have gone worse.
Bangladesh, who won the toss and opted to bat first, scored only seven runs in Ajmal's first four overs, before Tamim and Rahim smashed the Worcestershire man all around the park.
Tamim hit 15 boundaries and three sixes in his fifth one-day century and Rahim smashed 13 fours and two sixes after being dropped by Junaid Khan when he was on 35.
The match marked the start of a new era for Pakistan cricket following the one-day retirement of skipper Misbah-ul Haq and senior all-rounder Shahid Afridi after the World Cup.
Batsman Azhar Ali captained the new-look team that included just four players who took part in the World Cup.
Ali (72) and Sarfraz Ahmed (24) put on 51 off 10 overs to give the Pakistan reply a steady start, the latter holing out, slog-sweeping Arafat Sunny.
Mohammad Hafeez was run out for four, Soumya Sarkar’s brilliant throw beating him.
Haris Sohail (51) helped his skipper add 89 for the third wicket but Azhar – trying to run the ball down to third man – succeeded only in nicking Taskin Ahmed behind.
Sohail then miscued a short ball from Ahmed, Mahmudullah pouching the catch, to leave Pakistan 174-4 off 31.5 overs.
Mohammad Rizwan (67 off 58) then offered some stout resistance but he got no support. The tail was blow away, the last four wickets falling for just five runs.
The second and third one-dayers will also be held at the same Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka on April 19 and 22.
