KARACHI, 22 September 2003 — Pakistan cruised to a 58-run victory in the final one-dayer against Bangladesh yesterday to complete a 5-0 whitewash of the five-match series. The win elevated the hosts into fourth place in the International Cricket Council (ICC) one-day rankings.

Bangladesh were always facing a tall order after a fluent 82 from opener Yasir Hameed helped Pakistan reach 302 for five. Even though the Bangladesh top order struck form together for the first time in the series with valuable contributions from Hannan Sarkar (50), Rajin Saleh (71) and Alok Kapali (69), the target always appeared to be beyond their reach. The visitors finished on 244 for seven after 50 overs.

Pakistan ensured that Bangladesh were never in the hunt with some tight and economical bowling. Saleh, who achieved his highest one-day international score from 96 balls, and Kapali added 128 for the third wicket. Saleh was also involved in another notable partnership as he scored 50 with Sarkar for the second wicket from 75 balls.

But the target proved too stiff for Bangladesh, who required 82 runs in the last four overs. Looking to score quick runs as the match headed toward its final overs, Saleh fell and Kapali departed within two balls of each other. Saleh was run out by Kamran Akmal on the last ball of the 46th over while Kapali was bowled by Umar Gul. Their dismissals sparked a mini collapse as four Bangladesh wickets fell for six runs in the final four overs.

Pakistan’s Yousuf Youhana reached a personal landmark when he reached 5,000 runs by scoring a quickfire 52 from just 32 balls. He become the seventh Pakistani batsman after Javed Miandad, Saeed Anwar, Salim Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Rameez Raja and Ijaz Ahmed to reach the mark.

Pakistan climbed three places in the ICC rankings and are now placed behind Australia, South Africa and England. The Pakistan team dedicated the 5-0 sweep to their regular captain Rashid Latif, who missed the series following the five-match imposed on him by match-referee Mike Procter for taking a controversial catch in the third Test against Bangladesh at Multan.

Latif was at the stadium to savor the moment, having already led Pakistan to their first home-series win since 1998 with a 3-0 clean sweep in the tests against Bangladesh

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has offered to reschedule matches, reducing the number of Tests from three to two in the hope of persuading South Africa to go ahead with a tour called off after a bomb in Karachi.

PCB chief executive Rameez Raja said yesterday they had sent the rescheduled itinerary sent to the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA). “We are giving them the option of playing just two Tests now so that they can make the tour even after a week’s delay,” Raja said.

In the original itinerary, South Africa were to have played Tests at Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, but the PCB has now canceled the Karachi match and offered the option of playing the Peshawar Test in Rawalpindi.

“We are waiting for a response from them but we are going to have a meeting in Lahore on Monday to decide on our future course of action if South Africa also don’t accept the rescheduled itinerary,” Raja said.

He said Pakistan had already sent a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) drawing its attention to the financial losses that would be incurred by Pakistan if South Africa did not reverse their decision. “We have certain contractual obligations with our television producers,” he said.

Dravid Hits Ton as

Rest Beat Bombay

Rahul Dravid struck a brilliant century as Rest of India successfully chased 340 to beat national champions Bombay by three wickets in India’s premier domestic match in Madras yesterday.

The 30-year-old Dravid, who struck 12 fours and four towering sixes, shared in a 168-run stand for the fourth wicket with Vangipurappu Laxman, who was dismissed for 99 in the Irani Cup. Dravid had earlier got unexpected support at the start of the day from nightwatchman Lakshmipathy Balaji, who held on for two hours to score 26 until he fell shortly before lunch.

But there was a crisis of sorts after Dravid and Laxman fell in quick succession to leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule and the Rest slipped to 312 for seven following a middle-order collapse. Captain Saurav Ganguly held up one end with a 34-ball 28 not out to guide the Rest, bundled out for 202 in the first innings, home on the fourth day of the annual Irani Cup.

India batsmen Virender Sehwag and Mohammad Kaif were named by the Indian cricket board yesterday to lead the teams to play two warm-up games against New Zealand. Opening batsman Sehwag will captain an Indian Board President’s XI for the first of the two three-day games starting on Friday in Visakhapatnam. Kaif will lead an India A side for the second match to be played in Rajkot from Oct. 2.