MULTAN, Pakistan, 5 September 2003 — Bangladesh ran out of steam in their second innings when after gaining a 106-run lead over Pakistan they slumped to 77-4 on the second day of the third Test here yesterday.
Bangladesh skipper Khaled Mahmud took a career best 4-37 and was ably assisted by Mohammad Rafique, who snapped five scalps to dismiss Pakistan for a paltry 175 in reply to Bangladesh’s total of 281.
Pakistan, conceding a 106-run lead, hit back with their pace duo Shabbir Ahmed and Umer Gul bagging two wickets each. The tourists finished with an overall lead of 183 runs with six wickets in hand. Rasin Saleh was unbeaten on 29 and Mahmud was batting on 2 when stumps were drawn. Mahmud, under pressure to perform to avoid a possible sacking after the series, took three wickets off 20 balls in his first spell followed by Rafique’s five wickets off 55 balls to give Bangladesh a second successive lead.
Last week Bangladesh also got a first-innings lead of 66 runs but slumped to 96 all out in the second innings at Peshawar to lose second Test by nine wickets. Mahmud, who was criticized for conceding a world record of 406 for his only wicket in seven Tests before this series, bowled an immaculate length and was ably assisted by Rafique, who finished with his third five wicket haul with 5-36.
Mahmud’s only wicket before this series was New Zealand batsman Daniel Vetori who he dismissed in Hamilton Test in December 2001. The duo kept the pressure on an inexperienced Pakistan batting line up which badly missed experienced Yousuf Youhana, surprisingly rested and injured opener Taufeeq Umer. The 32-year-old from Dhaka, Mahmud came as first change, removed debutant Salman Butt caught behind by wicket-keeper Khaled Mashud with his second ball for 12 and then trapped Mohammad Hafeez for 21 with the first ball of his second over. Pakistan reached 50-2 at lunch.
Pakistan’s most experienced batsman Inzamam of Multan opened up with two boundaries but fell third ball after lunch when he failed to keep a tentative drive on the up off Mahmud and was smartly snapped up by Hanan Sarkar in the second slip. Inzamam, recalled in the first Test after a four-month lay off when he was sidelined after a poor performance in the World Cup, made just 10. Younis Khan and Hameed added 71 for the fourth wicket during their stand but Mahmud came back for his second spell and had Younis caught off the leg-side flick by Mashud for 34.
Rafique then took over and chipped in with five quick wickets, disguising Yasir Hameed to dislodge his stumps for 39 to leave Pakistan struggling at 147-5 at tea. Rafique then trapped debutant Farhan Adil leg before for 25, Shabbir in the same manner for 4, bowled Saqlain for 9 and completed the slide by bowling Gul for 5. Mahmud effected useful bowling changes to grab Pakistan’s last seven wickets for just 54 runs. Earlier in the morning, lanky Pakistani pacer Shabbir Ahmed took the last three wickets to fold the tourists’ first innings.
