Pakistan Bowler restrict Bangladesh to 140 Runs

Cape Town: Bangladesh lasted 19.4 overs in their Super 8 clash against Pakistan at the Newlands cricket ground here on Thursday, and opener Zunaed Siddique was solely responsible for that. After being asked to go in first, Bangladesh were bowled out for 140 runs.

Pakistan will undoubtedly have the edge chasing a small target but it was refreshing to see a mature response from a Bangladesh batsman.

Most of the Bangladesh batters tried to take only the boom-boom route but Siddique, who made 71 runs off just 49 balls with six fours and three huge sixes, adopted a refreshingly different approach.

One could clearly see that he was trying to achieve the balance between attack and defense, which is the key to success in this format of the game. He was willing to stay at the wicket and defy the bowlers, which made all the difference.

While there were the usual big hits for sixes and fours, Siddique was a revelation as he did not ignore the ones and the twos. The next best came from Aftab Ahmed, who made 15.

To a large extent, Pakistan bowlers were clinical in their job. Barring Siddique, none of the Bangladesh batters were able to stand up to them. Mohammed Hafeez and skipper Shoaib Malik took two wickets each, while seamers Muhammed Asif, Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul claimed one wicket each.

There were as many as three run outs in the Bangladesh innings.

Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed, Mohammad Ashraful (Captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Nadif Chowdhury, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mashrafe Mortaza, Syed Rasel, Abdur Razzak, Zunaed Siddique

Pakistan
Salman Butt, Imran Nazir, Younus Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik (Captain), Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir

Officials
Mike Procter (match referee)
Ian Howell and Tony Hill
Asad Rauf (third)
Marais Erasmus (fourth)
Source