On This Day - Classic Pakistani Matches, Blast From The Past

Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, 6th Match, Singer-Akai Cup at Sharjah, Apr 9 1997

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/61003/scorecard/65766/pakistan-vs-zimbabwe-6th-match/

Report - At Sharjah, April 9. Pakistan won by 32 runs. Toss: Pakistan.

As each team had one win to its name before this match, they were playing for a place in the final. Zimbabwe had high hopes when their seamers had Pakistan reeling at 51 for seven after 19 overs. But Moin Khan organised the tail, especially Saqlain Mushtaq, to add another 100 runs. When Zimbabwe set out in pursuit of just over three an over, Waqar Younis removed both openers cheaply and two further bursts of wickets saw their involvement in the tournament ended with nearly ten overs to spare.

Man of the Match: Moin Khan.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151392.html

 

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 4th Match (D/N), Standard Bank International One-Day Series at Paarl, Apr 9 1998

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...-lanka-4th-match-standark-bank-tourn-1997-98/

Report -
At Paarl, April 9 (day/night). Pakistan won by 110 runs. Toss: Pakistan.

Sri Lanka went down to their third defeat in three games, and their heaviest yet: they were skittled for 139 inside 35 overs, apparently hindered by floodlights that failed to reach full power. Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis led the assault, removing the first four wickets for 54. After electing to bat first, Pakistan made a brisk start, thanks to Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed, who scored 65 in 79 balls in his 200th one-day international. But a middle-order slump saw three wickets fall for one run, and it was only the wagging tail which lifted them to 249.

Man of the Match: Wasim Akram. Attendance: 7,428.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151456.html

 

3rd ODI, Pakistan tour of India at Jamshedpur, Apr 9 2005

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...istan-3rd-odi-pakistan-tour-of-india-2004-05/

Report -

At Jamshedpur, April 9, 2005. Pakistan won by 106 runs. Toss: Pakistan.

The balding and uncharismatic Naved-ul-Hasan proved an effective stand-in for Shoaib Akhtar's more explosive if unreliable gifts, and took a career-best six for 27 to drag Pakistan back into the series. On a helpful pitch, he fiddled his length subtly, extracting movement and bounce. He was complemented by the skiddy nip of Mohammad Sami, who made Tendulkar his 100th one-day international victim, while Younis Khan took four catches for the second time at this level, a unique feat. The contest was all but over when India were 82 for six, though Pathan hit a lusty maiden fifty. Salman Butt, with his second one-day international century - both against India - had given Pakistan's bowlers enough runs to play with. His 101 was one of those dreamy lefthanded centuries, with strokes caressed through cover and point and occasionally flicked over square leg. An incisive 75 from Shoaib Malik and a charming but fleeting appearance from Yousuf Youhana helped to set a target of 320. Afterwards, Ganguly was fined 70% of his match fee for a slow over-rate.

Man of the Match: Naved-ul-Hasan.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/289006.html

 

2nd ODI, Pakistan tour of West Indies at Providence, Apr 9 2017

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/10927/scorecard/1077950/west-indies-vs-pakistan-2nd-odi/

Report - Hasan Ali stars in Pakistan's series-levelling win

The writing was already on the wall when the West Indies were reduced to a meagre 75 for 6 inside 20 overs of play and it was only a matter of time that Pakistan wrapped things up to draw level in the three-match series in the second ODI at Guyana on Sunday (April 9). However, Jason Holder had different plans as he notched up a resilient fifty in the company of Ashley Nurse and Alzarri Joseph to delay the inevitable. Eventually, the hosts went crashing down in a 74-run loss to Pakistan, but not without staging a fight.

After Pakistan posted 282 on the board, riding on a sterling hundred from Babar Azam, their pacers responded strongly by nipping out the first four wickets in little over ten overs time. The downfall could have started as early as in the second over when Evin Lewis prodded at a Junaid Khan delivery to hand a simple catch to the cover fielder, only to be dropped. Chadwick Walton and Lewis struck four boundaries in the space of two overs before Junaid got one to get big on Walton (10), who could manage only a top edge that was not dropped at mid on.

Mohammad Amir joined the act by removing Lewis a couple of overs later when the left-armer got the ball to jag back in and get him trapped in front of the stumps. Shai Hope ignited a bit of a hope for the hosts with a couple of boundaries early in his innings but in a lapse in concentration, he drove callously to cover to throw his wicket away. In what was a pacers' day out for the tourists, Hasan Ali bowling his second over, caught Kieran Powell on the move and though the original decision was not out, Pakistan requested for the review to reverse the decision in their favour.

The entry of Jason Mohammed must have made Pakistan a little cautious after the damaging knock he played in the opener to snatch a win from their platter, but Mohammad Hafeez induced a top edge as the Man of the Match from the previous game went for a sweep to be caught brilliantly by skipper Sarfraz Ahmed. Not long after, Hafeez caught another batsman on the sweep as Jonathan Carter missed the shot to be trapped plumb in front. 75 for 6 didn't make for a pretty reading and it was only a matter of time that West Indies imploded.

However, Nurse and Holder put on a 58-run stand for the seventh wicket to keep the visitors at bay, while skipper Sarfraz tried out all his options during the dry phase. Nurse batted the only way he knew as he put the ball beyond the fence with relative ease. But in an overdose of big shots, he first collected a couple of fours before being trapped by the man of the moment, Hasan Ali. Holder tonked a few late blows to propel himself to his third ODI fifty before Hasan Ali picked up the last two wickets in quick succession to finally put an end to all the resistance.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan were put in to bat first and rode on a superlative hundred from Azam, who was back at his favoured number three spot to torment his favourite opponents getting his fifth hundred overall and fourth against the West Indies. With late support from Imad Wasim, Pakistan rose to put up 282 which proved to be more than enough to notch up a comfortable win.

 

Pakistan vs India, 6th Match, Sharjah Cup at Sharjah, Apr 10 1987

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/60874/scorecard/65744/india-vs-pakistan-6th-match/

At Sharjah, April 10. Pakistan won by eight wickets. Toss: Pakistan.

Man of the Match: D. B. Vengsarkar.

 

Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Final (D/N), Cherry Blossom Sharjah Cup at Sharjah, Apr 10 2003

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...bwe-final-cherry-blossom-sharjah-cup-2002-03/

Report -
At Sharjah, April 10, 2003 (day/night). Pakistan won by eight wickets. Toss: Zimbabwe.

Taufeeq Umar took the match award for his unbeaten 81, but the game had long since been settled by Mohammad Sami. His pacy opening spell reduced Zimbabwe to 22 for three on a blameless pitch, and from that point there was no way back. Taibu scampered fifty and gave the innings a gloss of respectability, but Taufeeq and Yousuf Youhana shut out the possibility of any miracle comeback. Taufeeq supplied the staying power, Youhana the majority of the strokeplay and together they added an unbroken 144 in 29 overs, the highest stand of the tournament. This match was the 2,000th one-day international. It had taken 24 years to reach 1,000, but only eight more to reach 2,000.

Man of the Match: Taufeeq Umar.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/219828.html

 

Pakistan vs Australia, 2nd Match, Austral-Asia Cup at Sharjah, Apr 11 1986

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...-pakistan-2nd-match-austral-asia-cup-1985-86/

At Sharjah, April 11. Pakistan won by eight wickets. Toss Australia.

Man of the Match: Mudassar Nazar.

 

Pakistan vs New Zealand, 3rd Match (D/N), Sharjah Cup at Sharjah, Apr 11 2002

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/61105/scorecard/65798/new-zealand-vs-pakistan-3rd-match/











Report - At Sharjah, April 11 (day/night). Pakistan won by 51 runs. Pakistan 4 pts. Toss: Pakistan.

A beautifully constructed 288 from Pakistan left New Zealand scrabbling for runs. Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir peppered the boundary and when Afridi went, in the 14th over, they had already blitzed 98. Franklin and Butler were shellshocked, forcing Fleming to eke out overs from eight bowlers. Only Styris was economical: his ten overs of medium-pace all-sorts cost the same as four of raw pace from Butler. Styris shook Pakistan with three wickets in 15 balls, but a consolidating hundred partnership by Inzamam-ul-Haq and Younis Khan lit the fuse for some late fireworks - 28 in 16 balls - from Wasim Akram. No one had ever won at Sharjah chasing more than 285. Nevin harried, with aggressive hits over extra cover, but New Zealand could not maintain the rate and were forced into reckless shots.

Man of the Match: Inzamam-ul-Haq.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155062.html

 

2nd ODI (D/N), Bangladesh tour of Pakistan at Faisalabad, Apr 11 2008

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...-2nd-odi-bangladesh-tour-of-pakistan-2007-08/








Aggressive Butt scripts seven-wicket win

A blazing 76 by Salman Butt led Pakistan to a comprehensive seven-wicket win in a rain-curtailed match at the Iqbal Stadium. Heavy rain after 48.2 overs in Bangladesh's innings kept the players off the field for more than two hours and the target of 226 was reduced to 158 in 25 overs by the D/L method. Pakistan made easy work of the target, despite an asking-rate of more than six an over, and extended their lead to 2-0 in the five-match series.

Despite the heavy defeat, Bangladesh had something to write home about, especially their lower-order revival. Mahmudullah's unbeaten half-century pushed Bangladesh to a respectable score of 225 for 8 after a characteristic top-order wobble. Tamim Iqbal piloted the early charge with an attacking 60 but the excitement was rather shortlived, with half the side back in the pavilion by the 25th over. Mahmudullah then proceeded to add 37 with Farhad Reza, doubled that effort with Dhiman Ghosh, and those stands were significant in ensuring Bangladesh didn't fold up before the allotted overs.

Tamim set the pace with some gorgeous drives through extra cover and controlled flicks off the pads, making it fairly obvious from the start that the margin for error on this surface was minimal. The high elbows were a feature of his technique as he punched crisply through the off side and back past the bowler.

Shahriar Nafees wasn't as technically correct and like a repeat offender, perished in identical fashion to the Lahore game, swatting at a wide delivery away from the body. Aftab Ahmed's dismissal was unfortunate as replays indicated the ball struck him above the knee roll off Gul, who picked up his 50th ODI wicket in the process.

Ashraful walked in and went on the offensive with an exquisite cover drive off Tanvir to go past Habibul Bashar as the highest run-getter in ODIs for Bangladesh, before taking Gul to task with three fours in a single over. However, Bangladesh lost two quick wickets against the run of play - including Ashraful - and Tamim fell shortly after bringing up his fifty.

Mahmudullah and Reza got together for damage control after Tamim's wicket, and the pair brought some stability to the innings. With spinners bowling from either end, the pair grafted - staying back and waiting for the turn, pushing the ball into the gaps and fetching the odd boundary. The partnership was worth 37 before Reza lunged forward to Shahid Afridi and was trapped lbw just after a drinks break, in the 34th over.

Luckily for Mahmudullah, he found an able partner in Ghosh and the pair strung together the most fruitful stand of the evening. In the five overs after Reza's dismissal, Bangladesh added 34. Pakistan lost the plot, and the introduction of Younis Khan to break the stand only leaked more runs. Mahmudullah never got tied down at any stage, and shortly after the pair added 50 runs, he brought up his own half-century, giving Sohail Tanvir the charge and punching him through extra cover and then glancing one down to fine leg the following ball. Rain intervened with ten balls left, leaving Mahmudullah unbeaten on 58.


The overcast conditions mattered little for Pakistan as the openers blazed away in a stand of 46 in just over seven overs. Butt took to Mashrafe Mortaza early, punching him through extra cover and followed it up with a pull over midwicket in the same over. His innings was a suitably classy affair, full of proper cricket shots, drives, cuts and the odd pull.

The early pounding forced Ashraful to bring his slow bowlers on in the fifth over and the move worked as the left-armers, Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan, plugged the scoring for three consecutive overs. Nasir Jamshed fell after attempting one ugly heave too many, bowled by Shakib.

Younis Khan walked in and carted Mahmudullah for a huge six over midwicket before a swing and a miss off Reza sent him back for 13. Yousuf joined Butt, and during his cameo knock of 32 became the second Pakistani to go past 9000 ODI runs behind Inzamam-ul-Haq. Butt brought up his fifty in the 18th over, launched Mahmudullah for a six over long-off before he was run-out off a direct hit for 76. His 72-ball knock had all but sealed the victory, with Pakistan needing just seven to win.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/14051/report/343760/undefined

 

3rd ODI, Pakistan tour of West Indies at Providence, Apr 11 2017

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...est-indies-vs-pakistan-3rd-odi-wi-v-pak-2017/









Malik's hundred carries Pakistan to series victory

A commanding performance to secure a vice-like grip on eighth place doesn't sound like an especially formidable achievement, but it was a much-needed boost off the back of a troubling few months for Pakistan cricket. A 113-run partnership between veterans Shoaib Malik - who reached his ninth ODI century with the six to seal victory - and Mohammad Hafeez enabled Pakistan to canter to a six-wicket win and clinch the three-match series 2-1.

Pakistan's chase of 234 got off to an eventful start, with a first-ball wicket, a nasty collision between Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam, a dropped catch at mid-on and a brilliant grab by wicketkeeper Shai Hope all crammed into a lively first six overs. Babar edged Shannon Gabriel into his stumps less than three overs later, and the upshot from a frenetic opening Powerplay was Pakistan had lost three wickets for 45 and, for the umpteenth time, were looking wobbly.

The one positive Pakistan could glean from the situation was that Hafeez and Malik were at the crease together, and with 430 ODIs between them, they represented vast experience, if nothing else. It showed, too, with the pair ensuring they made survival their main priority for the next hour or so amid some testing spin bowling by Devendra Bishoo and Ashley Nurse, and they slowly began to turn the game in Pakistan's favour.

By the time Hafeez holed out to deep square leg, the visitors needed less than 100 to win. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed then joined Malik at the crease, the pair picking off the poor deliveries with consummate ease in a stroll towards their target. Towards the end, Malik was playing with such ease that he gave himself the chance of a century, which he completed in style with a straight six off Jason Holder. It might not always have been smooth sailing, but in the end, it was unquestionably clinical.

West Indies will rue a failure to take proper advantage of the review system for the second game running. When Hafeez was on 39, Nurse, arguably the most consistent performer for his side all series, spun one sharply back into him, the ball striking the top of his front pad. Hawk-Eye showed it would have been given out on review, but Holder decided against going to the third umpire. It was one among a series of errors West Indies committed in the field - dropped catches playing a starring role once again - and by the time Hafeez was finally dismissed, the telling blows had long since been struck.

West Indies had managed to scrap to 233 despite being squeezed for runs during much of the first half of their innings. Having slipped to 68 for 3 with a run rate well under four, Hope and Jason Mohammed combined for a 101-run partnership - the first three-figure partnership for West Indies this year - to set their team on course for what was at least a competitive total.


The heart of West Indies' innings was stifled by a sustained spell of pressure from Pakistan's spinners, a spell that, in hindsight proved decisive. Imad Wasim was the pick of the bowlers, bolstering his credentials as a genuine ODI allrounder following on from his impressive batting performance in the previous match. He was the major reason for West Indies' sluggishness during the middle overs, consistently bowling on a good line and getting the ball to spin away from the right-handers. Hafeez provided him able support, and their combined bowling figures of 17-1-45-1 aptly told the story of the middle overs.

But even when their run rate slipped to as low as 3.34 runs per over, West Indies had one metric in their favour: seven wickets in hand. Inch by inch, Mohammed and Hope began to climb their way back into the contest, Mohammed launching Hasan Ali for sixes in consecutive overs and setting his team up for the final push.

However, just as the hosts looked like they were eyeing 250, Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan took over from Shadab Khan, who had an indifferent day with the ball - despite picking up the wickets of Hope and Jonathan Carter - conceding 57 runs in his eight overs. The quality of Pakistan's quicks shone through with a splendid bowling performance during the death overs, the two left-armers regularly landing yorkers with surgical precision that the batsmen struggled to get underneath. Only 29 runs came off the last five overs as the momentum West Indies had threatened to build up was punctured severely. Runs in short supply was a familiar theme for the hosts all evening, culminating in a result they - and their fans - have become all too familiar with of late.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/10927/report/1077951/undefined

 

Pakistan vs India, 1st Match, Pepsi Sharjah Cup at Sharjah, Apr 12 1996

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/60984/scorecard/65754/india-vs-pakistan-1st-match/

Report -
At Sharjah, April 12. Pakistan won by 38 runs. Toss: India.

Azharuddin's decision to send Pakistan in, on an excellent batting pitch in hot weather, was questionable. After Srinath beat Aamir Sohail with his first delivery and started the match with a maiden, the advantage lay almost entirely with Pakistan. Sohail advanced to his fifth century in limited-overs internationals and set India a target of nearly five and a half an over. They made a bad start: Tendulkar drove a wide ball to cover and Saqlain Mushtaq's off-spin and Mushtaq Ahmed's leg-spin reduced India to 95 for five. Mongia, who helped Manjrekar to add 116 for the sixth wicket, scored his maiden fifty at this level before he was last out.

Man of the Match: Aamir Sohail.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151293.html

 

Pakistan vs New Zealand, 3rd Match (D/N), ARY Gold Cup at Sharjah, Apr 12 2001

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/61086/scorecard/65791/new-zealand-vs-pakistan-3rd-match/

Report -
At Sharjah, April 12 (day/night). Pakistan won by eight wickets. Toss: New Zealand.

Shahid Afridi might have threatened Jayasuriya's two-day-old record of 30 runs in an over, but had to be satisfied with 26 off five balls (64646) from Bradburn, Imran Nazir having taken a single off the first delivery. Afridi hit his next ball, from Oram, for another four, which lifted Pakistan to 83 in the eighth over. The introduction of Adams checked the flow a little, and eventually he had Afridi caught at mid-on for 70 off 43 balls, with seven fours and six sixes. Nazir, with whom Afridi put on 113 in 15 overs, was out four balls later, but old hands Saeed Anwar and Inzamam-ul-Haq completed a comfortable win with a comparatively sedate partnership of 157 in 27 overs. Earlier, Sinclair had scored his maiden century in one-day internationals, batting for all but seven balls of the innings and striking six fours in 144 balls.

Man of the Match: Shahid Afridi.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154259.html

 

4th ODI, Pakistan tour of India at Ahmedabad, Apr 12 2005

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...istan-4th-odi-pakistan-tour-of-india-2004-05/









Report -
At Ahmedabad, April 12, 2005. Pakistan won by three wickets. Toss: India.

Out of more than 50,000 people in the dusty cauldron of Ahmedabad, only one - Inzamam-ul- Haq - kept his cool, punting the last ball of the game through point for four to level the series. Never before had Pakistan successfully hit a one-day target above 300, and this game was two overs short. But the chase was constructed with methodical skill that had all the hallmarks of coach Bob Woolmer. After Shahid Afridi knocked up a manic 23-ball 40, the middle order added 123 between the 15th over and the 35th, but struck only four boundaries. Instead, they nudged, deflected and stole singles and doubles. To growing disbelief in the crowd, Pakistan crept forward until Inzamam's unfussy 60 saw them through an unexpectedly nerve-racking final over from Tendulkar, with just three needed. Tendulkar had started the day with his 38th one-day international century - the first since March 2004 in Rawalpindi, another losing cause. Combining imperious strokeplay and cussed determination, he hit 12 fours and two sixes. Afterwards, another poor Indian over-rate led to a six-match ban for Ganguly, reduced to four on appeal to the ICC.

Man of the Match: Inzamam-ul-Haq.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/289007.html

 

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 4th Match (D/N), ARY Gold Cup at Sharjah, Apr 13 2001



Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/61086/scorecard/65792/pakistan-vs-sri-lanka-4th-match/

Report -
At Sharjah, April 13 (day/night). Pakistan won by 28 runs. Toss: Pakistan. International debut: Kashif Raza.

Pakistan's third successive victory secured their place in the final. Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir were quickly brought down to earth, both falling in the fourth over. But Saeed Anwar and Inzamam-ul-Haq carried on with their second successive century stand. They became the first two batsmen to score 2,000 runs at Sharjah, and Anwar went on to 8,000 in his 221 one-day internationals at all venues. Despite three late wickets from Fernando, Pakistan reached 278, the highest total of the tournament to date. Most of the Sri Lankan batsmen made a start, but Afridi pinned back their reply with three mid-innings wickets. Although Vaas retorted with an unbeaten 59-ball fifty, he could not quite achieve the required rate.
Man of the Match: Saeed Anwar.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154261.html

 

3rd ODI (D/N), Bangladesh tour of Pakistan at Lahore, Apr 13 2008

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...-3rd-odi-bangladesh-tour-of-pakistan-2007-08/

Report -

Akmal and Butt set up 23-run victory

A total of 309, disappointing given that Pakistan had been 151 for 0 in the 23rd over, ultimately proved sufficient as they wrapped up the series with a 23-run win over Bangladesh. The bulk of the total came from centurions Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt, one trailblazing and the other smoothing over some middle-order cracks.

Tamim Iqbal and Aftab Ahmed's sparkling approach to a daunting target and Shakib Al Hasan's 75 with the lower order kept visions of a memorable chase under satisfactory lights at the Gaddafi Stadium flickering but it all proved a bit quixotic as Shahid Afridi snapped up two wickets in the 46th over to end their hopes.

Promoted to open in the absence of an injured Nasir Jamshed, Akmal teed off with a manic 81-ball 100 before Butt rounded off with a more measured and career-best 132. From 17 in seven overs Pakistan went to 51 from ten and after the completion of the Powerplays they were 132, thanks largely to Akmal's belligerence. Given lives on 1 and 19 he revved up the pace after a watchful start with three consecutive fours in the eighth over.

He took a particular liking to Abdur Razzak, making room to cut square of the pitch repeatedly as he reached fifty off 43 balls. Razzak continued to struggle for length and with no assistance from the surface Akmal milked runs. His timing only improved as he trained his attention towards Farhad Reza, smacking three fours in one over. A fourth hundred came shortly afterwards and was raucously cheered by a sparse crowd - 70 runs had come in boundaries - but Akmal remained on 100. Backing away once too many in an attempt to steer spin away cheekily, he was bowled by Mahmudullah. It was his first score of fifty or more in just shy of a year.

Pakistan's total should have been sizably larger but Bangladesh pulled matters back superbly with three more wickets in six overs. Butt stuck around to ensure a superb platform wasn't entirely squandered, scoring his fifth ODI hundred and first against anyone but India. Butt has often stepped on the accelerator early in his innings but today he kept up one end tightly. His shots remained positive while his footwork minimal and it paid off on a track without much spin. There were few boundaries along the way but Butt scored at a healthy clip and eased to his hundred.

Here Bangladesh, through their pace bowlers, hit back again to limit the damage in the last ten overs efficiently with four wickets for 72 runs, Pakistan basically crawling past 300. Tamim and Aftab shrugged off a watchful first few overs, during which Pakistan drew first blood with the wicket of Shahriar Nafees, to add 90 in 13 overs. Tamim's shots were almost all power and beauty and no crude hoicks. The two Sohails, Tanvir and Khan, didn't allow any free runs with the new ball and Tamim made room to carve the ball through extra cover or drill it straight. His driving was especially eye-pleasing as he kept the run rate at bay and his fifty came up from 52 balls.

However, a bullet piece of fielding from Fawad Alam at third man cut Tamim short on 63 and Aftab's repeated attempts at reverse-sweeping proved his downfall after a perky 42, with Akmal holding onto a simple catch. Mohammad Ashraful succeeded in running himself out for 16 and it left much for Shakib and the lower order to do under a burgeoning run rate. They didn't throw in the towel, refreshingly. With ten overs to go, 103 needed, and six wickets in hands Bangladesh had a sniff as Shakib and Mahmudullah (24) combined for to add 59.

Shakib top-scored with a plucky 75 that limited the margin of defeat, highlighted by some fine inside-out shots against Alam and some great running. It helped Bangladesh past their previous best against Pakistan, 245, but as the asking rate kissed 13 a truly fine knock came to an end with a paddle against Afridi, whose double-wicket over properly ended the chase. Mortaza and Dhiman Ghosh took 19 off the 47th over from Iftikhar Anjum to rattle Pakistan a bit and Bangladesh's 285 was their best against quality opposition. Sadly, the series's most compelling match was watched by a threadbare crowd. With two games to go the hosts may well ring in some changes with bigger challenges to come this season.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/14051/report/343761/pakistan-vs-bangladesh-3rd-odi/

 

2nd Test, Pakistan tour of West Indies at Port of Spain, Apr 14-19 1988

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...nd-test-pakistan-tour-of-west-indies-1987-88/

Report -
Toss: Pakistan.

In a nail-biting finish to a dramatic final day which had seen each side achieve a match-winning position, Abdul Qadir, the No. 11 batsman, survived the last five balls from Richards to maintain Pakistan's lead in the series. Requiring 372 to win, Pakistan were 31 runs short of victory after Javed Miandad had drawn them nearer and nearer the target with a flawless 102 compiled over seven hours seven minutes. His seventeenth Test hundred, it came from 240 balls and contained seven fours and a five. On his dismissal, in the over before the last twenty overs began, 84 were still needed; but when Marshall dismissed the hard-hitting Wasim Akram at 311 the odds favoured West Indies. Salim Yousuf and Ijaz Faqih defended tenaciously until the last over, when Yousuf's dismissal, lbw to the first ball, brought in Qadir to play out the last tense scene.

Pakistan were unchanged from the First Test, but West Indies were able to bring back Richards and Marshall, and Benjamin retained his place because Patterson was unfit. Put in, West Indies lost Greenidge to the last ball of the Imran's first over and Haynes with only 25 on the board. Richardson and Logie added 55, and a stand of 58 in thirteen overs between Richards and Dujon improved the situation. Richards struck 49 in 43 balls with eight fours, and when he was seventh out, Imran and Qadir quickly wrapped up the innings, each finishing with four wickets. Imran, in bowling Walsh, became the fourth-highest wicket-taker in Tests.

Pakistan's jubilation was soon dashed as between tea and stumps they lost five wickets for 55. Two more wickets fell on the second morning for the addition of only 13 runs, but Malik and Yousuf dropped when 3 by Dujon, put on 94 valuable runs, a record for Pakistan's eighth wicket against West Indies. Malik batted 171 minutes for his 66. By the close, West Indies were 58 ahead with Haynes, Greenidge and Logie all out to Imran. The third day's play was dominated by Richards, who reached his 22nd Test century in 232 minutes off 134 balls. He soon lost Richardson, who the previous afternoon had passed 2,000 Test runs, but found support from Hooper and Dujon in stands that yielded 94 and 97 runs respectively. Early in the day, when he was 25, Richards became embroiled in a dispute with the Pakistan fielders, threateningly waving his bat at Yousuf after an appeal for lbw off Imran's bowling had been rejected by umpire Cumberbatch. Imran protested to the umpire about Richards's behaviour, and the situation was soon defused. In the later stages of his innings, Richards was suffering from cramp and nausea.

By the close of the third day, Qadir had taken his 200th Test wicket, that of Marshall, but Dujon was still there, and next morning he added 90 runs for the last two wickets with Benjamin and Walsh. He also completed his fifth Test hundred, having batted for five and a quarter hours and hit thirteen fours. Imran and Qadir again took the major share of the wickets. By lunch Pakistan had begun their second innings. Ramiz provided them with an attacking start, but when he was the third wicket to fall in the space of 7 runs, Miandad and Salim Malik withdrew to a defensive position. It was only after the rest day that Miandad, adding 113 for the sixth wicket with the nineteen-year-old Ijaz Ahmed, raised the prospect of victory. With their dismissals, first of Ijaz and then Miandad, Pakistan's most realistic chance disappeared.

Man of the Match: I. V. A. Richards.

Close of play: First day, Pakistan 55-5 (Salim Malik 5*, Ijaz Ahmed 1*); Second day, West Indies 78-3 (R. B. Richardson 39*, I. V. A. Richards 7*); Third day, West Indies 329-8 (P. J. L. Dujon 70*, W. K. M. Benjamin 4*); Fourth day, Pakistan 107-3 (Javed Miandad 19*, Salim Malik 17*).


http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153125.html

 

Pakistan vs New Zealand, 2nd SF, Austral-Asia Cup at Sharjah, Apr 15 1986

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...-vs-pakistan-2nd-sf-austral-asia-cup-1985-86/

At Sharjah, April 15. Pakistan won by ten wickets. Toss: Pakistan.

Man of the Match: Abdul Qadir.

 

Pakistan vs India, 3rd Match, Pepsi Austral-Asia Cup at Sharjah, Apr 15 1994

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...-pakistan-3rd-match-austral-asia-cup-1993-94/

Report -
At Sharjah, April 15. Pakistan won by six wickets. Toss: Pakistan.

The teams had not met since the World Cup, more than two years earlier, and Pakistan comfortably reversed India's win then. Opener Saeed Anwar, who had hit three successive hundreds in Sharjah a few months earlier, scored 72 from 69 balls, while Basit Ali, with a run-a-ball 75, completed the victory with five and a half overs to spare. India had thrown away an equally impressive start, given them by Tendulkar, who scored 73 from 64 balls. But India collapsed from 156 for two to 219 all out.

Man of the Match: Saeed Anwar.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151088.html

 

Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, 5th Match, Cable & Wireless One Day International Series at St George's, Apr 15 2000

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...tan-vs-zimbabwe-5th-match-cw-odi-series-2000/

Report -
At St George's, April 15. Pakistan won by six wickets. Toss: Zimbabwe.

Teenager Imran Nazir's thrilling maiden international hundred powered Pakistan to a comprehensive win and ended Zimbabwe's tour without a victory. Nazir easily outscored the usually dynamic Shahid Afridi, who made only 19 of their 49 off 48 balls together; in all, his 105 took 135 balls, with ten fours and two huge sixes. He also shared key stands with Inzamam-ul-Haq and Moin Khan, who hit a six and five fours. Zimbabwe had begun positively as Johnson and Wishart compiled 84 in 23 overs, but Pakistan's varied attack began to cull batsmen and never allowed an increase in tempo. Mushtaq Ahmed's miserly leg-spin was always impressive, and a target of 205 was below par on a perfect pitch and fast outfield. Wasim Akram became the second player after India's Mohammad Azharuddin to appear in 300 one-day internationals.

Man of the Match: Imran Nazir.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153990.html

 

Pakistan vs New Zealand, 5th Match (D/N), ARY Gold Cup at Sharjah, Apr 15 2001

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/61086/scorecard/65793/new-zealand-vs-pakistan-5th-match/

Report -
At Sharjah, April 15 (day/night). Pakistan won by seven wickets. Toss: New Zealand. International debut: K. D. Mills.

Pakistan completed the qualifiers with a 100 per cent record. They crushed New Zealand in a curious match lasting barely half its scheduled length; only four of the 16 who batted reached double figures. Nevin was the first, hitting a dashing fifty from 40 balls, but became Abdur Razzaq's third victim in the 12th over. New Zealand never recovered, and Saqlain Mushtaq wrapped up the innings with four wickets. Pakistan also made a shaky start, losing their top three even more cheaply. But by then Inzamam-ul-Haq was at the crease. He struck two sixes off the spinners and, with 12 fours as well in his 85 from 67 balls, saw Pakistan home in their 26th over.
Man of the Match: Saqlain Mushtaq.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154262.html

 

Pakistan vs New Zealand, 6th Match (D/N), Sharjah Cup at Sharjah, Apr 15 2002

Scorecard -
http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/61105/scorecard/65801/new-zealand-vs-pakistan-6th-match/

Report -
At Sharjah, April 15 (day/night). Pakistan won by eight wickets. Pakistan 5 pts. Toss: New Zealand.

With both teams on four points, this was effectively a semi-final. New Zealand made a spectacular start, reaching 75 in 12 overs as Astle smashed a series of massive loose-armed drives and Horne punched through the leg side. But Saqlain Mushtaq's subtleties wrecked them: Horne was fooled by his straight ball and Astle fell to a sprawling catch by Waqar Younis, running back to long-on. Within three overs, New Zealand were 79 for four, and none of their bits-and-pieces players could strike a balance between daring and dawdling. Pakistan's openers bombarded a lightweight attack. Shahid Afridi hit Styris over long-on at will, taking three sixes from one over, and exerted demoralising power as he struck five other sixes and seven fours. Despite being docked an over for ambling in the field, Pakistan won with 17 to spare.

Man of the Match: Shahid Afridi.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155065.html

 

5th ODI, Pakistan tour of India at Kanpur, Apr 15 2005

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...istan-5th-odi-pakistan-tour-of-india-2004-05/

Report -
At Kanpur, April 15, 2005. Pakistan won by five wickets. Toss: India.

Shahid Afridi pulled off an astonishing win with nearly eight overs to spare. He rendered a tricky pitch, two world-class spinners and a potentially awkward target redundant with a brainscrambling 46-ball 102. Afridi's fourth one-day international century came off 45 balls - the jointsecond fastest ever, eight short of his own record - with ten fours and nine sixes. The mayhem began when the third over, from Balaji, cost 23; so did the fifth, from Kumble, and Mongia yielded 22 in the 11th. The barrage continued until Afridi reached 100 with an ungainly hoicked pull down the ground, and was bowled next ball - playing a defensive forward push. By then Pakistan were 131, in the 15th over. His team-mates' relative struggle showed how difficult the pitch actually was. Acting-captain Dravid and Kaif had rescued India from another collapse engineered by Navedul- Hasan, battling from 59 for four to 194. Dravid was run out in the last over for 86, and an electric 33 from Mongia transformed India's total. Then, 249 seemed enough; Afridi changed all that.

Man of the Match: Shahid Afridi.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/289008.html

 

@Passionate Pakistani @ASLI-PATHAN

Unforgettable assault at Kanpur

 

Yes the Kanpur massacre

 

Pakistan vs India, Final (D/N), Coca-Cola Cup at Sharjah, Apr 16 1999





Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/61044/scorecard/65781/india-vs-pakistan-final/

Report -
Toss: India.

Wasim Akram grabbed two wickets - his first of the tournament - in the opening over to set Pakistan on the way to their tenth title at Sharjah. He removed Ramesh and Dravid with his third and fourth balls and finished with three for 11, as India failed to set their old adversaries any sort of target. Only Ganguly, with a defiant 50, suggested any permanence in the batting, which subsided to 125 all out. This was Indian cricket at its most shoddy, unable to bat out the 50 overs and throwing away three wickets to run-outs. Pakistan strolled home with 22 overs to spare; Inzamam-ul-Haq struck 39 in 38 balls, while the unfortunate Agarkar conceded more than ten an over.

Man of the Match: Wasim Akram. Man of the Series: Shoaib Akhtar.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151622.html

 

4th ODI (D/N), Bangladesh tour of Pakistan at Multan, Apr 16 2008

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/14051/scorecard/343762/pakistan-vs-bangladesh-4th-odi/

Pakistan coast to victory despite Shakib







Shakib Al Hasan tried his best to lift Bangladesh, but his single-handed efforts - 108 and 1 for 34 - couldn't inspire an otherwise woeful team as Pakistan equalled their most successful streak in ODIs, winning their tenth in a row to take a 4-0 lead in the five-match series. Shakib's innings lifted Bangladesh from a dire 109 for 8 to a respectable 210, but Pakistan's top order barely broke a bead of sweat in knocking off the runs, achieving the target with seven wickets and 5.3 overs to spare.

Shakib gave Bangladesh a fighting chance, but the game was settled when Butt and Akmal blitzed 97 for the first wicket in less than 17 overs. Both had scored hundreds in the previous game, and the good form showed as both oozed confidence, caressing fours through the off side and flicking wristily to the midwicket and square-leg boundaries whenever the bowlers erred even marginally.

Bangladesh had one opportunity to break the stand before it had reached dangerous proportions, but Mahmudullah made a mess of a chance at extra cover when Butt drove airily at Shahadat Hossain. Butt had made 16 in a total of 25, and he made Bangladesh - and Hossain - pay dearly in his next over, creaming three glorious drives through the off side, two of which found the boundary. Akmal then joined the party, flicking the last ball of that over - which leaked 15 - for four, and then belting Mashrafe Mortaza for two more fours. Fifteen more came off that over, and after nine, Pakistan had sped to 65.

Mohammad Ashraful was forced to turn to spin in the tenth over, and while the slow bowlers reduced the boundaries, both openers milked singles and twos, with the occasional boundary ensuring that the run-rate stayed above a run a ball. Akmal lofted Shakib over long-on for the first six of the match in the 13th over, but fell while trying to repeat the stroke four overs later.

The arrival of Bazid Khan significantly slowed the scoring-rate, as he struggled to get the ball off the square against the slow bowlers, giving Bangladesh a chance to regroup. His first 23 deliveries fetched just two runs, and also led to Butt losing his patience and his wicket, dashing down the pitch for a non-existent single.

The excitement for the crowd dried up as Mohammad Yousuf joined Bazid - there was a 67-ball boundary-drought at one stage - but Bazid finally broke the shackles in emphatic fashion, blasting Mahmudullah over midwicket for six, and gradually grew in confidence thereafter. Yousuf, meanwhile, played a typically fluent innings, guiding the ball into the gaps, cutting and flicking with characteristic elegance, and scoring at a fair clip despite the lack of fours and sixes. The asking-rate was always within control, and the result was a foregone conclusion long before Yousuf swept Abdur Razzak to seal the deal.


That Pakistan required 44.3 overs with the bat was itself a surprise, for at one stage it appeared the game would be over before the artificial lights came into play. After winning the toss on a hot and sunny afternoon, and on what looked like a flat pitch, Bangladesh made a complete hash of ideal batting conditions. Umar Gul struck twice in his first over, inducing edges from Junaid Siddique and Aftab Ahmed, while Mohammad Asif - playing his first international match in nearly six months - had Tamim Iqbal cutting straight to point. Ten for 3 became an even more depressing 16 for 4 soon after Shakib walked in, as Mohammad Ashraful became another victim of Gul's nagging line around off.

Shakib, coming off a fine 75 in the third ODI in Lahore, continued from where he had left off, gauging the pace of the pitch in a trice. Gul was cut and pulled for two fours in three balls while Asif was creamed through the covers.

Through the early part of his innings, though, it seemed his resistance would just be a minor irritant for a marauding Pakistan, as they knifed through the rest of the batting. Sohail Khan helped himself to a couple of wickets, while Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik took a wicket apiece as well.

Mortaza, though, turned out to be an excellent foil for Shakib. Where other top-order batsmen had thrown it away, Mortaza showed fine temperament, turning the strike over and allowing Shakib the luxury of a solid partner. The first signs of a significant partnership came when Gul returned for a second spell. Shakib pulled him crisply and then struck him through extra cover in the same over - the 33rd - scoring 12 off it, the most expensive of the innings. Fawad Alam's harmless left-arm spin was milked away for ones and twos, while Malik's offspin met a similar fate as well. Never hurried in attack or defence, Shakib finally got to a richly deserved hundred in the 47th over, and the 97 he added with Mortaza was the highest ninth-wicket stand for Bangladesh in ODIs. That incredible rearguard effort gave Bangladesh some hope; sadly for them, though, Pakistan's top order showed just how badly Bangladesh had bungled earlier in the afternoon.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/14051/report/343762/pakistan-vs-bangladesh-4th-odi/undefined

 

Pakistan vs United Arab Emirates, 5th Match, Pepsi Austral-Asia Cup at Sharjah, Apr 17 1994

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...-pakistan-5th-match-austral-asia-cup-1993-94/

Report -
At Sharjah, April 17. Pakistan won by nine wickets. Toss: United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan's crushing victory ensured that they and India would be in the last four. It was a disappointing performance by the Emirates after their promising debut four days earlier. They were 68 for six at the mid-point of their innings, though a stand of 57 between Johanne Samarasekera, brother of Sri Lankan opener Athula, and Arshad Laiq took them well into three figures. Pakistan needed less than half their 50 overs to knock off 146 runs. Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail set off with a breakneck 76 in ten overs, and Inzamam-ul-Haq scored a 47-ball fifty.

Man of the Match: Ata-ur-Rehman.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151089.html

 

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Final (D/N), Sharjah Cup at Sharjah, Apr 17 2002

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/61105/scorecard/65802/pakistan-vs-sri-lanka-final/




Report -
At Sharjah, April 17 (day/night). Pakistan won by 217 runs. Toss: Pakistan.

The 20,000 hollering fans saw a colourful but one-sided spectacle. After elbowing Pakistan aside in both qualifiers, Sri Lanka were trampled underfoot. Waqar Younis won an important toss, and Imran Nazir made a smash-and-grab 63 off 61 balls. However, the real damage was done by Yousuf Youhana, with a career-best 129, and Younis Khan. Darting between the wickets for ones and twos, they sentenced Sri Lanka to the death of a thousand cuts. With Muralitharan in hospital after tearing shoulder ligaments - on his 30th birthday - no one could staunch the flow. The pair put on 155 before perishing in successive balls, aiming for the leg-side ropes. At 52 for one from nine overs, Sri Lanka were on course, but they were soon buffeted by quality quick bowling: Jayasuriya, pulling, and Sangakkara, fencing, were both beaten for pace by Shoaib Akhtar. The middle order capitulated with shocking speed. Sri Lanka, minus Murali, were all out inside 17 overs for 78, their second-lowest one-day total.

Man of the Match: Yousuf Youhana.
of the Series: M. S. Atapattu.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155059.html

 

6th ODI, Pakistan tour of India at Delhi, Apr 17 2005

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...istan-6th-odi-pakistan-tour-of-india-2004-05/

















Report -
At Delhi, April 17, 2005. Pakistan won by 159 runs. Toss: Pakistan.

Pakistan's resurgence culminated in a spectacular victory: they sealed the series 4-2, an amazing comeback from 2-0 down. Their fightback had relied on collective will and climaxed with their most accomplished communal performance. In front of their president, Pervez Musharraf, and Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, almost every batsman contributed. Shahid Afridi threatened a repeat of Kanpur, with 44 in 23 balls, and a chillingly composed 72 from Shoaib Malik gave the innings a solid base. Yousuf Youhana and Inzamam-ul-Haq made languid fifties, both terminated by doubtful decisions, and an impromptu 40 from Younis Khan helped them accelerate to 303. Then, fired up after Naved-ul-Hasan dismissed Sehwag - for the fourth time in this series - Pakistan's bowlers and fielders did the rest as a newly laid pitch crumbled alarmingly. There was a 20-minute interruption when Mohammad Kaif was sixth out at 94 and disgruntled spectators threw bottles on to the field. It would not have soured the sweetness of Pakistan's biggest one-day win by runs over India.

Man of the Match: Shoaib Malik. Man of the Series: Naved-ul-Hasan.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/289010.html

 

Austral-Asia Cup, Final: India v Pakistan at Sharjah, Apr 18, 1986


Match Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65816.html

Flashback: Miandad conquers India on April 18, 1986


Who can ever forget this one?


Pakistan-India cricket encounters end up heartbreaking for one side of the fans, while the other come out as jubiliant like anything. Something parallel to this notion takes us back to April 18, 1986 when Pakistan batting great Javed Miandad played his life-changing innings against the arch-rivals.

It was the Austral-Asia Cup final between the rival Asian neighbours and its dramatic end with Miandad sealing victory for Pakistan with a last ball six shattered India to the core.

The arch-rivals India not only lost the game, but also suffered psychological dent that reflected in most of their clashes against Pakistan with the latter emerging as triumphants.

It was a match played at Sharjah cricket stadium. Pakistan’s skipper Imran Khan had won the toss and opted to field first.’

India put on board a decent total of 245 runs with classic knocks of their top their batsmen K Srikanth, Sunil Gavasker and DB Vengsarkar scoring 75, 92 and 50 runs, respectively.

Comes Pakistan to bat with an unimpressive start. Pakistan lost its first wicket for 9 runs and kept losing their batsmen in regular intervals. Hardly anyone would know the Miandad factor will rule on top till victory.

It was only Miandad smashing 116 runs off 114 balls with three sixes and fours each at a strike rate 101.75. Marvellous of a batsman to pace innings at this rate during the era. Isnt it ?


After the thrilling win, Miandad and team mates take a round of stadium to wave at fans.

No other Pakistani batmen could score a half-century as the second highest score was 36 runs by Mohsin Khan.

Last over thriller and virtually fate-changing one for Miandad. It was a moment that fans from both countries recall whenever the two teams meet in one-day cricket: four required by Pakistan from the last ball, and Miandad swinging Chetan Sharma over the ropes. Pakistan fans cherished the last-ball thriller triumph to date, only to find solace when it needs.

http://arynews.tv/en/flashback-miandad-conquers-india-april-18-1986/

 

India tour of United Arab Emirates, 1st ODI: India v Pakistan at Abu Dhabi, April 18, 2006

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/244510.html

Report - At Abu Dhabi, April 18, 2006 (day/night). Pakistan won by six wickets. Toss: India.

Watched by their president Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan, who had lost their previous four oneday internationals against India, reversed that trend by winning the first such match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Although the pitch was sluggish, India's 197 rarely looked enough, and despite a testing, speedy opening burst from Sreesanth, Younis Khan - all angles and deflections - and Inzamam-ul-Haq took them towards victory. India, who rested Sehwag, were set back by four runouts, and by the canny off-spin of Shoaib Malik, who claimed three late wickets, two of them caught by Iftikhar Anjum at deep midwicket. The only sustained resistance came from the inexperienced pair of Raina (before he was also caught in the deep by Iftikhar) and Venugopal Rao, who was left high and dry with 61 at the end.

Man of the Match: Younis Khan

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/291256.html

 

Cable & Wireless One Day International Series, 1st Final: West Indies v Pakistan at Bridgetown, April 19, 2000

Match Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/66254.html
West Indies v Pakistan

Report - At Bridgetown, April 19 2000. Pakistan won by 17 runs. Toss: Pakistan. International debut: S. C. Joseph.

A tense, low-scoring game was clinched by Pakistan, who won their first toss of the tournament and held their nerve when it mattered. Only Inzamam-ul-Haq, with seven fours in an accomplished 86-ball 66, broke free against the disciplined home attack; he became the tenth batsman to score 7,000 one-day international runs and also passed 1,000 against West Indies. However, his 49-run stand with Younis Khan took up 18 overs, and wickets fell when Pakistan tried to accelerate. West Indies were in control at 144 for eight before Wasim Akram, coolly supported by Mushtaq Ahmed, smashed 42 off 36 balls: the last two overs cost 28. Wasim and Waqar Younis then stalled West Indies' reply, which laboured to 21 for one in 12 overs. A second-wicket stand of 86 had lasted almost 25 overs when Wallace fell to Mushtaq's final ball; Hinds soon followed as five wickets tumbled for 24. Only Sylvester Joseph, playing because Powell injured his ankle, raised hopes with a busy 28 off 32 balls, but Shahid Afridi completed victory with his career-best three for 16.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153992.html

 

5th ODI (D/N), Bangladesh tour of Pakistan at Karachi, Apr 19 2008

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/14051/scorecard/343763/pakistan-vs-bangladesh-5th-odi/

Report -









Salman Butt stars in series whitewash

It was as if the series result was decided even before Bangladesh agreed to tour the country. Pakistan took their second consecutive 5-0 series sweep at home - their first was against Zimbabwe - with a comprehensive 150-run victory in the fifth and final one-dayer at the National Stadium and extended their winning streak to a record 11. The win was set up by a career-best 136 off 124 balls by Salman Butt, and his stand of 179 for the second wicket with Younis Khan propelled Pakistan to a massive 329 which proved way beyond reach for Bangladesh who effectively lost the game after Mohammad Asif inflicted a top-order wobble.

Shoaib Malik had no hesitation in batting first after winning the toss, a move prompted by the fact that there was little chance of dew troubling the bowlers later in the evening. It was a good toss to win, as the batsmen were rarely challenged under the blazing afternoon sun.

The pitch had a sprinkling of grass, though it only helped to bind the cracks together. The opening bowlers, Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain, bent their backs early, hoping to get some pace and nip, but the pitch wasn't very cooperative. That was to be the trend through Pakistan's innings after Kamran Akmal's early departure, when Butt and Younis took control and milked the bowling authoritatively.

The feature of Butt's innings was the ease with which he lofted the ball into the gaps while staying rooted to the crease. The surface wasn't by any means quick, and Butt merely stayed back, waited for the ball to come to him before powering it past the infield. The outfield was lightning quick and all Butt had to do was to place it just wide of the fielders to get a boundary. All this meant that the margin for error was minimal for the bowlers and once again it was Butt who made them pay. Bangladesh could have had him on 57 had Mortaza hung on to a difficult diving catch to his right at mid-off after the batsman had given Shakib Al Hasan the charge.

Younis was his usual busy self at the crease, pushing the singles, and the pair brought up the 50 stand in 49 balls. The introduction of the spinners did little to stem the run rate. Shakib and Abdur Razzak, the left-arm spinners, varied their lengths, pushing it in quicker, sometimes giving it more flight, but the lack of turn allowed the pair to get the singles. Younis brought up his half-century with a reverse-sweep and by then the pair had gone past Pakistan's highest second-wicket stand against Bangladesh, beating the 123 between Rameez Raja and Saeed Anwar in 1997.

Mohammad Ashraful decided to bring on his seamers in the middle overs and the move paid off when Younis fell to a miscued pull off Shahadat. Mohammad Yousuf joined Butt and the pair clattered 17 off one Shahadat over, before Butt finally fell to a well-judged catch at long-on by Shakib. With two centuries and as many 70-plus scores, Butt entered the record books by going past Javed Miandad for the most runs scored by a Pakistan batsman - 451- in any tournament or series.

Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq later added a breakneck 52 off just 5.4 overs to take Pakistan past 300. In the middle of the carnage, Mortaza managed 4 for 65, the only bright spot for the visitors.

Batting, however, didn't appear as easy under lights when Bangladesh took guard. Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique faced some quality seam bowling from Asif and Umar Gul and the pair lacked the technical nous to see off the new ball and then attack. Shakib was squared up by a brute of a delivery which beat him for pace and shaved the top of the off stump. With that wicket, Bangladesh lost their in-form player and it was only a matter of time before the rest tumbled.

There were only two periods of resistance in the chase, though very contrasting in nature. Ashraful went on the attack in characteristic manner, peppering the on side with pulls and hoicks. Though not all came off the middle of the bat, it was entertaining all the same. The cameo knock of 30, off 26 balls, ended thanks to Misbah's quick reflexes at slip. A slow seventh-wicket stand of 57 between Mahmudullah and Dhiman Ghosh was never threatening, as it was only to prevent them from being rolled over quickly. Razzak then delayed the inevitable with some lusty blows before the chase ended in the 41st over. The Twenty20 international on Sunday gives Bangladesh the only chance to save face on this tour.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/14051/report/343763/pakistan-vs-bangladesh-5th-odi/undefined

 

Pepsi Austral-Asia Cup, 2nd SF: New Zealand v Pakistan at Sharjah, Apr 20, 1994

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65833.html
A phenomenal partnership between Aamir Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq put Pakistan in the final. Joining forces at 57 for one, they put on 263, the highest stand for any wicket in one-day internationals, in 42 overs. The previous record was an unbroken 224 for Australia's third wicket, by Dean Jones and Allan Border, against Sri Lanka in 1984-85. Sohail scored 134 from 146 balls, with 12 fours, and Inzamam's 137 not out - a record for Pakistan in one-day internationals - came from 129 balls, with 15 fours. But it was their sharp running between wickets which made the record possible.

New Zealand gallantly attempted to pursue an asking-rate of six and a half an over - Young opened with a run-a-ball 36 and Parore and Thomson added 133 - until they lost five wickets for 19. Nash was fined $US350 for swearing at Saeed Anwar, who had punished him heavily during his 23-ball 37.

Man of the Match: Inzamam-ul-Haq.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151094.html

 

Only T20I (N), Bangladesh tour of Pakistan at Karachi, Apr 20 2008

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...only-t20i-bangladesh-tour-of-pakistan-2007-08





Report -

Misbah's 87 powers comprehensive rout

Misbah-ul-Haq turned in another spectacular performance in the game's shortest format, smashing an unbeaten 87 to set up a massive 102-run victory in Pakistan's one-off Twenty20 match against Bangladesh in Karachi. The visitors were comprehensively outplayed yet again as they finished their miserable tour with another abject performance, conceding 203 runs in the field and managing just 101 in reply.

In the first Twenty20 international to be held in Pakistan, Shoaib Malik's decision to bat first seemed to have gone awry when in-form openers Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal were both dismissed in the first over. Bangladesh's joy was shortlived, however, as Younis Khan and Misbah made light of the loss of wickets to propel Pakistan to 84 for 2 by the end of the ninth over.

Both batsmen used their feet well to unsettle the bowlers and complemented their big hits with superb running between the wickets to keep Pakistan on course for a big total. Younis was the more aggressive of the two, racing along to 47 with the help of some effortless cuts and drives before falling to the first ball from Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's best performer through the series.

Even that wicket couldn't stem the scoring rate as Malik biffed some huge sixes before being stumped off Abdur Razzaq for a quickfire 35. It's not often that the fall of the home side's captain is greeted by a huge roar, but it was this time as local boy Shahid Afridi walked out. However, much to the fans' disappointment, his stay was a short one, bowled by Shahadat Hossain as he looked to clobber the ball over midwicket.

The star of the innings, though, was Misbah, who again demonstrated how Twenty20 isn't all about power-hitting as he combined impeccably-timed hits with brisk running. With the ropes pulled in, the boundaries were short and Misbah capitalised with five sixes, all on the leg side. This was the highest score by a Pakistan batsman in a Twenty20 international and it took the hosts to 203, their biggest total in this format. The Bangladesh attack was innocuous and their fielding, despite a few spectacular efforts, was generally below par.

Pakistan's new-ball bowlers, Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir, who were so impressive during the World Twenty20 last year, throttled the runs by effectively mixing up both their length and pace. Bangladesh's openers led a chancy existence: two of Tamim Iqbal's mishits were spilled by Afridi, while Nazimuddin was fortunate to see his attempted pull fly off the top edge for six.


After Tanvir foxed Tamim with a high full toss, Mohammad Ashraful, with a handy career strike-rate around 180, strode out but his forgettable tour continued as he holed out to long-on for 13. The visitors still had an outside chance at 85 for 2 with Nazimuddin going strong but an abject collapse followed.

Eight wickets fell for 16 runs as they slid to an embarrassing defeat in a format they were expected to be far more competitive in. The collapse was triggered off by a tight spell from Afridi which caused the already-steep asking-rate to climb even more, prompting some injudicious strokes and running between the wickets from the visitors. By the time Afridi completed his quota Bangladesh were out of the game, having slid to 95 for 6.

Mansoor Amjad, the debutant legspinner who was a spectator for much of the match, had a dream start to complete the formalities: brought on in the 15th over, he took 3 for 3 in six balls as Bangladesh fluffed their last chance to salvage some pride in this series.

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1st Test, Pakistan tour of West Indies at Kingston, Apr 21-25 2017

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/10927/scorecard/1077953/West-Indies-vs-Pakistan-1st-Test

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Pacers, Yasir spur Pakistan to victory

Pakistan took a giant stride towards winning their first-ever Test series in the Caribbean, after an efficient bowling performance helped ease to seven-wicket win in Kingston. After Yasir Shah's six-for in the second innings left Pakistan chasing 32, Misbah-ul-Haq, who walked in at the fall of Younis Khan's wicket with the side needing eight, hit two successive sixes to complete the formalities.

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1st ODI: Pakistan v New Zealand at Karachi, Apr 21, 2002

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/64765.html



Bowling with fire and venom, Shoaib Akhtar ripped out New Zealand's heart with a career-best six for 16 in a single nine-over spell. The tourists had raised 53 inside ten overs before Waqar Younis broke through, but slipped to 60 for three when Horne was run out in a mix-up. Then Shoaib struck in each of his first three overs. He beat the Kiwis in the air, touching 97mph and disturbing the furniture of four batsmen; Pakistan romped home with 20 overs in hand. Earlier, Yousuf Youhana clobbered 14 fours and a six in his second century in five days, after the Sharjah Cup final. As at Sharjah, he shared a big stand with Younis Khan, this time 161, which was halted for 20 minutes when Adams was hit by a projectile in the field. Abdul Razzaq slapped two sixes in an 18-ball 30 to round off a total of 275.

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Pepsi Austral-Asia Cup, Final: India v Pakistan at Sharjah, Apr 22, 1994

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65834.html

Pakistan beat India for the second time in a week to retain the Austral-Asia Cup. They scored only 250, despite an entertaining opening stand of 96 between Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail. Off-spinner Chauhan ended this and dismissed both Inzamam-ul-Haq and Salim Malik in one over, before Basit Ali made 57 from 58 balls.

India started badly, when Jadeja was out in Wasim Akram's first over and, despite 59 in 11 overs from Tendulkar and Sidhu, slumped to 83 for four. Kambli found an ally in Bedade, who overcame a nervous start to score 44 from 45 balls, with four sixes, in his fourth international match. He was caught attempting another six and the last five wickets could add only 48. Sohail claimed the match award for his 69, two wickets and two catches, one of them in the covers, cutting off Tendulkar in full flight.

Man of the Match: Aamir Sohail. Man of the Series: Aamir Sohail.

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1st ODI: Australia v Pakistan at Dubai (DSC), Apr 22, 2009

Match Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakvaus2009/engine/current/match/392616.html







A team desperate to erase painful recent memories immediately settled in at their new, adopted venue, with a four-wicket win against a struggling Australian side in Dubai. The devastation caused by Shahid Afridi's career-best 6 for 38 had all but shut Australia out of the match before the halfway stage of their innings. A late recovery pushed them to 168 but it wasn't enough to seriously challenge an unpredictable Pakistan outfit. Pakistan stuttered, rebuilt, stumbled again and a late push by Afridi, contributing an adrenalin-filled yet brief 24, pushed them towards a win.

The ultimate difference between the two sides was spin. While Pakistan's pair of Afridi and Ajmal shared eight wickets, Australia's Nathan Hauritz bowled four overs and failed to pick up a wicket. It wouldn't be fair to blame Australia's lone specialist spinner for the defeat. It was a collective failure of their middle order to read the spinners who mercilessly ran through the batting and effected a top and middle-order crumbling to the tune of 8 for 27.

Australia's rapid demise was a reflection of their ordinary recent one-day form. A collapse of this magnitude exposed a weakness against spin which was also on show in South Africa, even with a number of familiar returning faces in the ranks. With the ball gripping and turning, Afridi's mixture of googlies and topspinners caused most of the problems, but the relatively inexperienced Ajmal offered little respite with his doosras.

At 95 for 1 in the 19th over, Younis Khan's pre-match prediction of chasing a target of 260-270 seemed a reality. That was until Afridi got the ball and the crowd to dance to his tunes. He began by getting rid of the most well-set batsman, Brad Haddin, for a brisk 40, tamely chipping a flighted delivery to short cover. Michael Clarke's struggles against the spin trio of Paul Harris, Roelof van der Merwe and Johan Botha in South Africa were well documented and the nightmare didn't end with the move to another country. He was flummoxed by an Ajmal doosra and edged behind before Afridi worked his magic.

A rusty Andrew Symonds nicked one to a refreshingly sharp Kamran Akmal, before Shane Watson, who had played neatly on his return to the side after injury by adding 54 with Haddin, was beaten by one which turned through the gate. Safe catching helped Pakistan and Misbah-ul-Haq showed his sharp reflexes to cling onto Callum Ferguson's edge to remove one of Australia's few in-form batsmen. Hauritz completely misjudged Ajmal's line, shouldered arms and lost his stumps.

The score suddenly read a shocking 110 for 7 and it brought back bad memories of their collapse at Centurion very recently. It wasn't the kind you would expect of the second best team in the world even in the worst of days. The spinners sensed a weak link and exploited it with clinical efficiency. Afridi's googlies proved too much for the tailenders Stuart Clark and Nathan Bracken as he collected his best ODI figures and Pakistan's best figures against Australia.

James Hopes enjoyed a free swing of the arms in the third Powerplay with an unbeaten 48 to push the score to 168, a big improvement from a hopeless 122 for 9, but the momentum was still with Pakistan.

The Australian seamers failed to get enough early breakthroughs to cause a serious flutter in the Pakistan camp. The dangerous Salman Butt was trapped lbw for 5 in the seven-over period before the dinner break before a fidgety Younis Khan holed out to midwicket.

Spin was introduced in the 13th over but Hauritz couldn't extract the same turn and bite that Afridi and Ajmal managed against his batsmen. He overpitched too often and that allowed Akmal to get forward and drive through the line. He used his feet well and chipped down the track to bisect the gaps in the infield.

Shoaib Malik contributed only 12 in a stand of 48 with Akmal, content to let his partner hog the strike. However, as Akmal motored along, a flashy drive outside off cost him his wicket and Clark had his revenge after being slashed for a four past slip two balls earlier. A loose dab by Malik brought Afridi to the crease, who began by clipping his first ball - a low full toss - past square leg and then pulling the next past midwicket.

He took Pakistan within 31 of the target before mishitting one to mid-on. The chase thereafter was scratchy, with Misbah holding fort as Pakistan got home with 35 balls to spare. It wasn't the most convincing of chases but good enough to prove a point. Moreover, they played with a hunger to win against a team dogged by injuries and knackered after a back-breaking summer.

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Pakistan vs West Indies, 3rd Final, Cable & Wireless One Day International Series at Port of Spain, Apr 23 2000

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...ies-vs-pakistan-3rd-final-cw-odi-series-2000/





Report -
At Port-of-Spain, April 23. Pakistan won by four wickets. Toss: West Indies.

Mushtaq Ahmed, who had bowled with immaculate control throughout the tournament, effectively decided its outcome with four cheap wickets. West Indies were all out inside 34 overs for 114, equalling England's total at Bridgetown in 1985-86 as the lowest in 92 one-day internationals in the Caribbean. Their humbling could hardly have been predicted when Campbell and Wallace were opening with 61 in 17 overs. But once they fell, at the same score, the innings disintegrated. Mushtaq Ahmed bamboozled Hinds, Gayle and Powell, the young Jamaicans, within five balls, while Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain Mushtaq, making their first appearance in this series, grabbed two wickets apiece. Despite the meagre target, the home bowlers made Pakistan struggle; King, hostile and accurate, had them 19 for three in the tenth over. But Inzamam-ul-Haq steadied the innings, adding 42 with Younis Khan, and despite needing a runner after King's yorker cannoned into his heel, his calm assurance never wavered. Though he took 98 balls for his 39, he always had overs in hand.

Man of the Match: Mushtaq Ahmed. Man of the Series: Inzamam-ul-Haq.

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