DARWIN: Pakistan Shaheen had a great day in the field with bat and ball against Bangladesh A as they set a target of 428 on the third day of the first four-day match at the DXC Arena in Darwin. Bangladesh A require 408 runs as they closed the day 20-0 in seven overs.
Earlier, Bangladesh A recovered their innings from an overnight score of 203-4 before succumbing to 266 all out in 76.2 overs as the Shaheens did not take long to complete their innings. Shahadat Hossain was stranded on 36 not out while none of the batsmen except Rejaur Rehman Raja (32, 18b, 4x4s) offered any resistance as their team added just 63 runs for six wickets, leaving a deficit of 201 runs.
Test fast bowler Khurram Shahzad was the main destroyer as he dismissed five batsmen in the first over and claimed figures of 6-72 in 21.2 overs, his sixth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Mohammad Ali finished with 2-64 in 22 overs, also keeping one over on the morning of the third day. Shahnawaz Dahani had one scalp to his name.
With a lead of 201 runs, Pakistan Shaheens started their second innings and managed two early strikes. Haseebullah departed for a six-ball duck while Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for eight, leaving the Shaheens 20-2 in 5.1 overs.
Rising up the order, Omair Bin Yousuf (100 not out, 123b, 6x4s, 2x6s) and Mubasir Khan (95, 134b, 8x4s, 1×6) put on a mammoth 170-run third-wicket partnership to help Pakistan extend their lead past the 400-mark mark.
Mubasir missed out on his fourth first-class century while Omair, playing his 50th first-class game, registered his 11th ton in the format. The call for a statement came right after he reached his ton, with the Shaheens’ score written at 226-3 in 47.2 overs, giving Bangladesh a 428-run win. The Bangladeshi bowlers toiled as Ripon Mondol, Rejaur Rehman and Mukidul Islam took one wicket each.
