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An inconsequential win for Pak
Pakistan did not really sweat much to record a comfortable six-wicket win over Bangladesh.
Pakistan did not really sweat much to record a comfortable six-wicket win over Bangladesh in an inconsequential Super League match of the Asia Cup one-day cricket tournament on Thursday.
After bundling out the minnows for a paltry 166, the dethroned champions reached the target in 41 overs in the day-night encounter at the Premadasa Stadium.
Bangladesh's wicketkeeper batsman Khaled Mashud was the top scorer of the match with 54 but that could not prevent his team from suffering its 86th loss in 93 One-Day Internationals.
Shoaib Malik led the Pakistani chase with an effortless 48 and in the process became the first batsman in the tournament to have aggregated more than 300 runs, marking himself out as a top contender for the Man of the Series award. Yousuf Youhana was the other notable contributor with 39.
But all that would go down the drain as Pakistan had already been knocked out of the final, which will be played between India and hosts Sri Lanka on Sunday.
After Thursday's win, Pakistan finished with 11 points while India tallied 12 and Sri Lanka 13 to book a place in the final.
Earlier, the four-pronged pace attack provided the inspiration for Pakistan as they ripped through the Bangladesh batting.
Shabbir Ahmed scalped three for 32 while Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar and Abdul Razzaq fetched two wickets each.
Part-time offie Shoaib Malik grabbed the remaining one.
Sami, opening the bowling instead with Shabbir, earned the dubious distinction of bowling the longest over in one-dayers. He began with a maiden over and then followed it up with a 17-ball over including seven wides and four no-balls for 22 runs in all.
A defiant Mashud then hit a career-best equalling 54 in a show of typical lower order resistance.
For Bangladesh, who elected to bat in the day-night encounter, extras was the second highest scorer at 37.
Twenty-year old opening batsman Mohammad Ashraful, who has been impressive in the tournament, failed to score.
Rajin Saleh (23) and Mashfiqur Rehman (21) were the notable scorers but it was Mashud's counter-attack in the company of Number 10 Tapash Baisya (14) that provided the brightest spark of the Bangla innings.
Razzaq was the bowler to bear the brunt as the two scored seven fours between them during the partnership.
