(REUTERS) – All-rounder Shahid Afridi took five for 23 and hit the winning runs to lead Pakistan to a five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first one-day international in Dhaka yesterday.
Set a target of 92 runs, Pakistan lost their first five wickets for 63 but Afridi (24 not out) and skipper Misbah-ul Haq (16 not out) kept their cool to steer the side to 93-5.
Afridi, who was dropped on one by Shahriar Nafees off Shakib Al Hasan, shrugged off any jitters and dampened Bangladesh’s late excitement by hitting left-arm spinner Shakib for three consecutive fours before his fourth boundary off the bowler ended the match.
“The conditions were perfect for the spinners,” Afridi told a news conference.
“But it’s not that difficult a wicket. If the batsmen want they can survive. You can take singles, rotate the strike and play yourself in. Maybe because of T20 cricket now batsmen don’t have the temperament,” he said.
Earlier, Afridi’s sublime bowling gave him his seventh five-wicket haul in one-day internationals, as Bangladesh were dismissed for 91 in 30.3 overs after opting to bat first.
Pakistan opening pair Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat reached 36 but four quick wickets in as many overs for eight runs almost derailed the visitors.
Farhat (12) dragged a Nasir Hossain delivery on to his stumps and paceman Rubel Hossain had Hafeez caught by Nafees for 22 in the next over and when Younis Khan and Sarfraz Ahmed both went for two off the bowling of Shakib and Rubel, the local crowd got something to cheer in the wake of a disappointing batting display.
Pakistan were 58-4 at the break and on resumption Shakib struck again when he bowled Umar Akmal for seven.
Earlier, Bangladesh had been in danger of being dismissed for less than their previous lowest total against Pakistan of 87 before number 11 batsman Rubel helped them avoid it with his 10-ball 15.
Nasir provided some resistance for Bangladesh with 21 after the home team lost their first five wickets for 31 runs, as Bangladesh’s skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was left ruing their batting performance.
“Our top order has not been performing consistently for the last couple of series. Even if we had scored 150 today it could have been a different game,” said Rahim.
The second match of the three-game series will be held in Dhaka tomorrow.
SCORECARD
BANGLADESH innings
T. Iqbal lbw Hafeez 0
S. Nafees c Malik b Afridi 7
Naeem Islam c Misbah-ul-Haq b Gul 5
M. Rahim c Ahmed b Malik 11
Shakib Al Hasan c Akmal b Afridi 15
Mahmudullah c Ahmed b Afridi 1
Nasir Hossain c Ahmed b Cheema 21
F. Reza lbw Afridi 1
A. Razzak c Khan b Ajmal 3
S. Islam c Ahmed b Afridi 0
R. Hossain not out 15
Extras: (b-2, lb-2, w-8) 12
Total: (all out, off 30.3 overs) 91
Fall of wickets:1-0, 2-6, 3-29, 4-29, 5-31, 6-67, 7-71, 8-74, 9-74.
Bowling: Mohammed Hafeez 5-2-7-1, Gul 5-1-19-1 (w-2), Afridi 6.3-0-23-5, Shoaib Malik 5-0-13-1 (w-1), Saeed Ajmal 6-2-13-1, Aizaz Cheema 3-1-12-1.
PAKISTAN innings
M. Hafeez c Shahriar b R. Hossain 22
I. Farhat b N. Hossain 12
Y. Khan c Rahim b S. Al Hassan 2
S. Ahmed c S. Al Hassan b R. Hossain 2
Misbah-ul-Haq not out 16
U. Akmal b S. Al Hasan 7
S. Afridi not out 24
Extras: (lb-4, w-4) 8
Total: (for 5 wkts, off 25.4 overs)93
Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-42, 3-42, 4-44, 5-63.
Bowling: Abdur Razzak 4-1-15-0 (w-1), Shafiul Islam 3-0-8-0 (w-2), Shakib Al Hasan 9.4-3-42-2 (w-1), Rubel Hossain 8-1-23-2, Nasir Hossain 1-0-1-1.