BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan came back from the death to pull off a sensational victory over Bangladesh in their Champions Trophy warm-up match at Edgbaston on Saturday (partly reported in Sunday’s edition).

The turnaround was quite astonishing after Pakistan slumped to 245-8 in the 43rd over in pursuit of 342 as Fahim Ashraf thumped 64 in 30 balls to take his side over the line.

Bangladesh were sensing their fourth successive one-day success against Pakistan following their famous 3-0 whitewash of Azhar Ali’s side in 2015. But this game won’t be constituted even as a List A encounter because both teams were allowed to use substitutes in the build up to the main competition from June 1.

Coming in at 22-7 midway through the 42nd over, Fahim — a 23-year-old from Kasur who bats left-handed but bowls right-arm seamers who is yet to be capped at international level — was quickly into his stride. Together with Hasan Ali, Fahim changed the complexion of the match in a breathtaking 34-minute partnership of 91 in 41 deliveries.

Hasan, who finished on 27 from 15 balls, struck the winning boundary after Fahim had deposited the first ball of the last over — which Pakistan started with 13 needed for victory — from Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza for a pulled six before taking three on the next delivery.

Fahim began the onslaught by taking 19 runs in an over from spinner Mehdi Hasan and another 16 off Mashrafe.

Pakistan’s chase began disastrously when the recalled Azhar Ali was out for eight and Babar Azam followed for one. Ahmed Shehzad and Shoaib Malik retrieved the situation somewhat by adding 59 before the opener fell for a 40-ball 44.

Malik and Mohammad Hafeez (49) put on 79 when Pakistan lost Hafeez and captain Sarfraz Ahmed (5). But Imad Wasim (45) kept Pakistan in hunt while assisting Malik in another productive stand worth 59 runs.

Malik looked in sublime touch as he crunched six fours and lifted a brace of sixes in an elegant 66-ball of 72 before Fahim took over.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH:

Tamim Iqbal c Junaid b Shadab 102

Soumya Sarkar c Babar b Junaid 19

Imrul Kayes lbw b Shadab 61

Mushfiqur Rahim c Malik b Junaid 46

Shakib Al Hasan c Shadab b Hasan 23

Mahmudullah c Malik b Hasan 29

Mosaddek Hossain c Azhar b Junaid 26

Mehdi Hasan run out 13

Mashrafe Mortaza c Fahim b Junaid 1

Sunzamul Islam not out 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-16, NB-2) 21

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 341

FALL OF WKTS: 1-27, 2-169, 3-219, 4-247, 5-296, 6-302, 7-331, 8-338, 9-341.

DID NOT BAT: Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Taskin Ahmed.

BOWLING: Junaid Khan 9-0-73-4 (1w); Hasan Ali 10-0-58-2; Fahim Ashraf 6-0-35-0 (1w); Wahab Riaz 9-0-68-0 (2nb, 4w); Mohammad Hafeez 3-0-11-0; Shadab Khan 9-0-55-2 (5w); Imad Wasim 4-0-38-0 (1w).

PAKISTAN:

Azhar Ali c Mushfiqur b Taskin 8

Ahmed Shehzad b Shakib 44

Babar Azam c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 1

Mohammad Hafeez c Imrul b Shafiul 49

Shoaib Malik c Imrul b Mehedi 72

Sarfraz Ahmed c Sunzamul b Mosaddek 5

Imad Wasim c Mosaddek b Mehedi 45

Shadab Khan run out 7

Fahim Ashraf not out 64

Hasan Ali not out 27

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-2, W-13, NB-1) 20

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 49.3 overs) 342

FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-19, 3-78, 4-157, 5-168, 6-227, 7-242, 8-249.

DID NOT BAT: Fakhar Zaman, Junaid Khan, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 9.3-0-68-1 (2w); Taskin Ahmed 9-0-80-1 (3w); Shafiul Islam 7-0-46-1 (1w); Soumya Sarkar 5-0-25-0; Shakib Al Hasan 6-0-41-1 (1w); Sunzamul Islam 3-0-17-0;6-0-29-1 (2w); Mosaddek Hossain 6-0-29-1 (2w); Mehedi Hasan 4-0-30-2 (1nb).

RESULT: Pakistan won by two wickets.

UMPIRES: R.A. Kettleborough (England) and P.R. Reiffel (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

NOTE: 15 players per side (11 batting, 11 fielding).

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2017