DHAKA: Tamim Iqbal smashed a second consecutive century to steer Bangladesh to their first ever One-day International series win over Pakistan with a seven-wicket victory in the second match in Dhaka on Sunday.

The left-handed opener hit an unbeaten run-a-ball 116 as the hosts, chasing Pakistan’s 239 for six, cruised home in the 39th over to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The new-look Pakistan, with just four World Cuppers in their ranks and led for the first time in a series by Azhar Ali, needed a massive improvement after their 79-run defeat in Friday’s opening match.

But a top-order collapse pushed them in a corner and left the tourists seeking a consolation win in the third and final match at the same Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Saad Nasim and Wahab Riaz hit unbeaten half-centuries to lift Pakistan to a seemingly competitive score after they were reduced to 77-5 by the 22nd over of the day/night international.

Tamim, who made 132 in the previous match, made a mockery of the target after racing to his half-century off just 31 balls.

Junaid Khan removed fellow-opener Soumya Sarkar cheaply for 17, but Tamim calmed the home supporters’ nerves with three successive boundaries off both Saeed Ajmal and Wahab Riaz.

By the time Ajmal bowled Mohammad Mahmudullah for 17 to give Pakistan their second wicket Bangladesh had taken control of the game by reaching 100 in just 14 overs.

Tamim dominated a 78-run stand with Mahmudullah (17).

Mushfiqur Rahim, who also hit a century in the first game, continued his good form with 65 off 70 balls as Bangladesh ended their series drought against Pakistan with 71 ball deliveries to spare.

Pakistan batsman Fawad Alam is cleaned up by Bangladesh spinner Nasir Hossain.—AFP

Shakib Al Hasan hit the winning run soon after Tamim, who struck 17 fours and six, completed his sixth one-day century by gliding Junaid to fine-leg.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who had missed the opening match due to a one-match ban for his team’s slow over-rates at the World Cup, wanted his team to push for a 3-0 whitewash.

“The boys are obviously very happy, but the job is not done yet because we have one more match to go,” he said. “This one was almost a perfect match for us and we want to continue like this.

“Tamim and Mushfiqur have been brilliant with the bat in this series and Shakib has led from the front with the ball.”

Earlier, Saad was unbeaten on 77 in only his second international and Wahab struck 51 off 40 balls as Pakistan crossed the 200-run mark on the slow pitch. Saad and Wahab plundered 49 from the last five overs.

Saad, who scored a duck in his ODI debut on Friday, began the rescue act by adding 77 for the sixth wicket with Haris Sohail, who made 44.

Azhar and Sarfraz Ahmed put on an opening stand of 36 before the top-order crumbled in dramatic fashion.

Seamer Rubel Hossain had Sarfraz caught at slip by Soumya Sarkar off his first delivery, before spinner Arafat Sunny bowled the experienced Mohammad Hafeez for zero in the next over.

Left-arm spinner Shakib removed Azhar for 36 through a catch by wicket-keeper Mush­fiqur, and trapped Mohammad Rizwan leg-before for 13.

In between those two dismissals, Nasir Hossain bowled Fawad Alam for a duck to open up the lower order.

Mashrafe, playing his 150th One-day International, claimed one wicket when he took a return catch to end Haris Sohail’s resistance.

Azhar said the two games so far were a learning exercise for his young, inexperienced team.

“I don’t think 240 was enough on this good wicket and that was because we did not bat well at the top,” he said. “But as everyone knows, Pakistan are in the process of rebuilding. The boys will learn from this and help them come back strongly. We have to trust the younger players and be patient with them.”

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Azhar Ali c Mushfiqur c Shakib 36

Sarfraz Ahmed c Soumya b Rubel 7

Mohammad Hafeez b Sunny 0

Haris Sohail c and b Mashrafe 44

Fawad Alam b Nasir 0

Mohammad Rizwan lbw b Shakib 13

Saad Nasim not out 77

Wahab Riaz not out 51

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-2, W-5, NB-2) 11

TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 239

FALL OF WKTS: 1-36, 2-37, 3-58, 4-59, 5-77, 6-154.

DID NOT BAT: Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Rahat Ali.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 8-0-52-1 (1nb); Taskin Ahmed 8-1-41-0 (1w); Arafat Sunny 10-0-41-1 (1w); Rubel Hossain 7-2-27-1 (1nb, 1w); Nasir Hossain 5-0-17-1 (1w); Shakib Al Hasan 10-0-51-2; Mohammad Mahmudullah 2-0-6-0 (1w).

BANGLADESH:

Tamim Iqbal not out 116

Soumya Sarkar c Sarfraz b Junaid 17

Mohammad Mahmudullah b Ajmal 17

Mushfiqur Rahim c Fawad b Rahat 65

Shakib Al Hasan not out 7

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-15, NB-1) 18

TOTAL (for three wkts, 38.1 overs) 240

FALL OF WKTS: 1-22, 2-100, 3-218.

DID NOT BAT: Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Taskin Ahmed, Arafat Sunny, Rubel Hossain.

BOWLING: Junaid Khan 9-0-61-1 (4w); Rahat Ali 7-0-57-1 (2w); Wahab Riaz 8-0-36-0 (1nb 7w); Saeed Ajmal 9.1-1-49-1 (1w); Azhar Ali 3-0-20-0 (1w); Saad Nasim 2-0-15-0.

RESULT: Bangladesh won by seven wickets.

UMPIRES: Enamul Haque (Bangladesh) and N.J. Llong (England).

TV UMPIRE: R.S.A. Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Tamim Iqbal.

FIRST MATCH: Dhaka, Bangladesh won by 79 runs.

THIRD MATCH: Dhaka (D/N), Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play