Pakistan’s spinners revelled in helpful conditions to crush Bangladesh by 58 runs in the third and final one-day international on Tuesday to win the series 3-0.
The tourists, bowled out for a modest 177, hit back to dismiss Bangladesh for 119 on a wicket that turned and bounced at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium in the port city of Chittagong.
Shoaib Malik marked his 200th one-day appearance with three wickets for six runs in four overs and fellow off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez picked up three for 27 as the Tigers were shot out in 38 overs.
It was Pakistan’s 28th win in 29 one-dayers against Bangladesh, boosting the confidence of Misbah-ul-Haq’s men ahead of the two-Test series starting on Friday.
The match was interrupted for 20 minutes in the second session when the floodlights went off, plunging the entire stadium into total darkness.
Bangladesh were sailing smoothly at 69-1 in the 20th over when five wickets crashed for 14 runs to allow Pakistan to bounce back in the match.
“This was a really tough game,” said a relieved Misbah. “But when there is self-belief you manage to get through.
“Our bowlers did wonderfully well but we need to improve our batting. Bangladesh had lost only one wicket when the lights went out and we were feeling a little low.
“But our coaches (Mohsin Khan and Ijaz Ahmed) assured us the game was not over and one more wicket would bring us back. That is what happened.”
Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim blamed his team’s batting for the series whitewash.
“Our bowlers did well all through the series, but our batsmen let us down,” he said. “Hopefully we will overcome this loss and perform better in the Test matches.”
Bangladesh lost opener Tamim Iqbal off the first ball of the innings, bowled by Hafeez, before Shahriar Nafees and Mohammad Mahmudullah put on 69 for the second wicket.
The home team lost Nafees (25), Rahim (0) and Mahmudullah (35) in the space of three runs — all leg-before to the spinners — to slide to 72-4 by the 22nd over.
Hafeez took a return catch of Shakib Al Hasan in his final over before Nasir Hossain, who scored a century in the last match, was caught off Abdur Rehman for three.
Farhad Reza and Alok Kapali delayed the end with a seventh-wicket stand of 34, before Malik polished off the tail to complete his team’s emphatic win.
Earlier, Bangladesh spinners Abdur Razzak and Mahmudullah shared six wickets to bowl Pakistan out cheaply.
Left-armer Razzak claimed three for 21 in 10 overs and off-spinner Mahmudullah grabbed three wickets in seven balls as Pakistan folded in 46.1 overs.
Umar Akmal top-scored with 57 and Misbah made 47, the pair adding 94 for the fourth wicket after Pakistan were reduced to 39-3 by the 12th over.
