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A well-timed half century from Fahim Ashraf helped Pakistan achieve victory while the team chased down the hefty target of 341 runs in a warm-up game against Bangladesh.
The young debutante shined as he scored 60 runs off 34 balls in the Champions Trophy warm-up match Coming in at No 9, he helped add 93 in 41 balls for the ninth wicket to take his side to an unlikely victory.
Earlier, the Pakistan batting struggled a great deal, with the only significant contribution other than Ashraf came from Shoaib Malik who scored 72 runs.
In the first inning opener Tamim Iqbal led a Bangladesh batting feast with a century as the new ICC one-day sixth-ranked nation amassed 341-9 in their Champions Trophy warm-up fixture against Pakistan at Edgbaston on Saturday.
After Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss, the Bangladesh batsmen put the Pakistan bowlers to the sword. The highlight of their innings being Tamim, who stroked 102 from only 93 balls as the left-hander struck nine fours and four sixes before being third out to teenaged leg-spinner Shadab Khan.
Imrul Kayes scored 61 off 62 deliveries with the aid of eight boundaries while partnering Tamim in a second-wicket stand of 142 after Soumya Sarkar, the third left-hander in the top-order, fell to left-arm speedster Junaid Khan for 19.
Mushfiqur Rahim further attacked the bowling by striking three sixes and as many fours in a quickfire 46 off only 35 balls, while Shakib Al Hasan (23), Mahmudullah (29) and Mosaddek Hossain (26) all spent useful time in the middle.
Junaid was the most successful of the Pakistan bowlers with four wickets for 73 runs in nine overs. Paceman Hasan Ali took 2-58 in nine overs and Shadab finished with 2-55 in nine overs but the experienced Wahab Riaz was a big disappointment.
The left-armer Wahab’s nine wicketless overs yielded 68 runs. The paceman was guilty of sending down two no-balls and four wides.
While Pakistan are heading into the Champions Trophy after a successful tour of the West Indies where they won all three series (T20, ODI and Test), Bangladesh were engaged in a triangular tournament in Ireland in which New Zealand were the other team.
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Comments (55) Closed
May 28, 2017 12:51pm
It was an exciting win and news title "unlikely win" is insulting to the talent and caliber of young Pakistani team.
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May 28, 2017 12:51pm
Well timed inngs ... better than that it was great inngs, last time i saw this kinda inngs was in 2015 in srilanka the inngs played by Anwar ali 17 ball 45 crazy batting he was on the ball, but where is he now why not given chance to mature as an alrounder, i think fahim should be given all the backing played in every game and he must be trusted with his ability both with bat and ball, i also believe anwar ali must be made part of this team ... no need to play azhar ali as odi is out of his league instead try fakhar to open or even babar azam to open to accommodate fahim, glorious display of power hitting, imad did his part as well, so honestly safi needs to play at no 5, he needs to take responsibilty to win games not just hit out, we need run a ball 50 from him every game min
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May 28, 2017 12:57pm
Now bangla was about to win against Pakistan in England. Pakistan bowling conceded nearly 350 runs.
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May 28, 2017 01:07pm
It is troubling and truly disappointing to see that Pakistan bowling has hit such an extreme low that it can easily be picked off for a 350 score in the 50 over format. Gone are the days when Pakistan bowling was feared and respected regardless of the pitch involved. Mediocre bowling was never this country's identity. Sadly the selection committee has been failing us in this department for too long now.
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May 28, 2017 01:09pm
350 is new 250 in ODIs. CT will be a tough challenge for the green shirts as they lack consistent power hitters and dependable wicket takers. Expectation are low so they will enter ground will less pressure.
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May 28, 2017 01:14pm
Great win! Top order fluttered as expected, however,Pakistan may have found a gem .
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May 28, 2017 01:18pm
bad bowling by pakistan ,improve plz
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May 28, 2017 01:36pm
@Shan this "about to beat" doesn't go in the record books. About to be heros must work harder to become actual heros.
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May 28, 2017 01:36pm
It was exciting indeed
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May 28, 2017 01:54pm
Fantastic victory!
Welcome Faheem Ashraf!
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May 28, 2017 02:02pm
Congrats to Pak Cricket Team for this wonderful follow-up. Keep up this great style.
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May 28, 2017 02:25pm
@Dr Ahmad - Melbourne This is dawn news's style
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May 28, 2017 02:50pm
@Dr Ahmad - Melbourne Guess you never saw the scorecard. Ahmed Shehzad and Hafeez played the same style of 78% strike rate. They were 8 down for 249 and almost a 100 required in the last 9 overs. So they were looking down a LIKELY defeat, hence the word unlikely.
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May 28, 2017 03:09pm
Good match
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May 28, 2017 03:34pm
It is a blessing in disguise that Pakistan finally managed to chase a target of over 300 in a 50 over match. I am sure that 300 will be a par score on a lot of the pitches in England in the Champions trophy.
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May 28, 2017 03:50pm
Faheem Ashraf new Shahid Afridi in the making.
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May 28, 2017 03:52pm
Extremely poor batting and bowling performance by Pakistan.New players should given the chance to find replacements.
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May 28, 2017 04:01pm
Keep it up
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May 28, 2017 04:04pm
Very surprised Pakistan were able to beat Bangladesh.
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May 28, 2017 04:10pm
Come on we are seeing Wahab Riaz is a big parchee, he is unfit and unfit
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May 28, 2017 04:11pm
Just remember practice game doesn't have playing eleven instead all bowlers bowl and batter's bat, in that conceding so many runs is a negative thins and remember its a close win especially batting had all likely batsman in tournament that won't happen.
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May 28, 2017 04:28pm
good signs pak cricksters are highly talented whwther they are bowlers batsman or all rounders
keep it up
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May 28, 2017 04:30pm
Well tough times ahead for Pak team if BD can score this high against Pak Bowling , Indian Batsman are going to have a fun day.
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May 28, 2017 05:31pm
Wahab Riaz's time in cricket is over
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May 28, 2017 05:39pm
This was a remarkable win and pakistan, though placed at the bottom, can not be taken lightly in the tournament. I am sure they will perform better.
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May 28, 2017 05:44pm
Well done green-shirts. Keep it up and hang on tough. May God Almighty grant you more success in the days to come. Aameen, Tsum Aameen.
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May 28, 2017 05:46pm
Don't forget Pakistan's poor bowling under the shadow of this win.Wahab will never learn yo contain the batsmen and I am not at all happy Junaid and the rest.
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May 28, 2017 05:51pm
Leave wahab out, if you remember he was with the lot accused of spot fixing in the first place. He is too much wavered n too much expensive and also wicketless. New emerging pacemen to be given chance.
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May 28, 2017 06:15pm
Really surprised me, Pakistan won this match. They will b very confident going into the tournament. Might surprise again. Good luck to Pakistan.
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May 28, 2017 06:16pm
SHAW that is Shahzad,Hafeez,Azhar and Wahab need to be out of this team. Their game and playing style ensures that Pakistan don't go beyond 250-275 runs. In recent matches in Eng vs South Africa, 300 plus Was thescore in both ODIs, in New Zealand 300 plus was the score. Dot balls were a rarity. This tournament will have plenty of 300 plus scores. Our top order batsmen believe in leaving the balls more than playing them as if they are playing a test match. It is clear they are not aggressive players and their batting style is obsolete. New comers should be given the opportunity to play. They can't be any worse than SHAW. Fahim Ashraf should that players are there, but selectors in their eternal wisdom make the wrong selection every time by choosing the failed players. Just one phrase fits the team : out with the old, in with the new.
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May 28, 2017 06:16pm
Pakistan will easily win this CT
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May 28, 2017 07:08pm
@Shamoo khan Yes, I agree. Wahab must go, he is a dead weight and will sink the team.
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May 28, 2017 07:23pm
@Dr Ahmad - Melbourne : Of course, it was an unlikely win for Pakistan. I am sure the writer had no intention to insult your team. Very well played by Pakistan.
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May 28, 2017 07:25pm
a very early sign that Pakistani cricket wants to move away from the misbah's defensive to attacking one - Pakistani cricket have always played with the fear of losing their chances of team selection if not scored. Instead, they should go out and attack whether they are able to score or not, and eventually they can build on this mentality
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May 28, 2017 07:41pm
No words are enough for Fahim Ashraf. Truly amazing, very well played by him in the lower order! Great morale booster for Pakistan team in the warm-up match against Bangladesh.
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May 28, 2017 08:16pm
@Shan they have bat and ball too
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May 28, 2017 08:43pm
@Dr Ahmad - Melbourne
I agree with you,whether they would have won or loose,it's all part of the game and I also fully acknowledge that our team may not be par same like Bangladesh but it doesn't mean we should portray our team in this way.
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May 28, 2017 09:45pm
what a nail biting finish, these days Bangladesh vs Pakistan matches reminds us of contests we saw between India & Pak during 90's,,,although Bangladesh is rank 6 and Pakistan 8, but Pakistan came back superbly good show by both the teams
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May 28, 2017 10:35pm
Well played Pakistan and that is unlikely win title mean?? It's so unfortunate that our media don't encourage our tams and players like others do. I request to them to please think positive and stop this negativity not only in sports but in other news to.
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May 28, 2017 11:38pm
@Dr Ahmad - Melbourne They used unlikely because when Faheem came to bat, more than 100 runs needed in 9 overs or so. So it was an unlikely win. I was following that match on cricinfo and we were 101% sure that Pak had lost it. It was a miracle inning by Fahim.
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May 29, 2017 12:55am
@Adnan - did not seem to so today. When Indian team waz bowling.
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May 29, 2017 01:29am
bowling side should be improved use yasir shah. he is in good form. besides amir etc
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May 29, 2017 04:01am
Sarfraz said "We have nothing to loose" .So No 1-7 play fearless but responsible Like Shoaib Malik playing now a days, No 8-11 like Imaad, Faheem, Hassan, Amir and Shadab just play fearless ,do not take any responsibility or burden.
Bowl intelligently means dry up the runs ,wickets will come automatically, and put maximum efforts in fielding , That's the simple basics of ODI.
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May 29, 2017 04:06am
Do not get scared of Aussies Bowlers, Play with courage ,Hit them, Hit them hard
Fast balls are easer to send across the ropes.
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May 29, 2017 05:25am
We should not kid ourself and expect any 'miracle' performance from the 'Team Green'. So I agree with the author it is a 'unlikely win'.
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May 29, 2017 07:40am
@RIZ B'desh is a better ranked team now. As usual we forget to see the present and live in past.
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May 29, 2017 08:36am
Well played by Bangladesh...
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May 29, 2017 09:27am
In our heart we know that Green shirts have no confidence whatsoever. This win was also pure luck considering Batsmen have squandered good starts. No one took responsibility. Do we really think this pakistan side would compete on equal footing against the likes of England, Aus, SA and NZ?
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May 29, 2017 03:32pm
"Junaid was the most successful of the Pakistan bowlers with four wickets for 73 runs in nine overs"
"target of 341 runs in a warm-up game against Bangladesh"
Pakistan pace attack is on top
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May 29, 2017 05:37pm
Pak has good bowlers should have conceded so many runs
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May 30, 2017 07:09am
Excellent job Team GREEN.
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May 30, 2017 07:40am
350 to bengalis, what will happen when we play " real teams".
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May 30, 2017 09:38am
Pakistan cricket team will not be lucky all the time, they have to show real game by first 7 batsmen to score more than 325, that's not happening .
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May 30, 2017 02:12pm
If bangladesh scores 340 runs off pakistan bowling, I wonder how much India and Australia will score against pakistan bowling?
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May 31, 2017 03:37pm
I was amazed to see Pakistan win this match. It was a very morale-boosting victory for them. Best of luck in the tournament, they should cheer themselves up and go into this with a good mood, regardless of the result.
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