MULTAN, 6 September 2003 — Bangladesh scented their first ever Test win yesterday with Pakistan wobbling on 148-6 after the third day of the third and final Test at Multan stadium. Pakistan’s most experienced batsman, Inzamam-ul Haq, was holding the fort on 53 not out as bad light stopped play 8.3 overs before schedule. Pakistan, chasing 261 to win the match, need another 113 runs to win.
Inzamam, recalled after a four-month lay-off following a disappointing performance in the World Cup, reached his half-century with his seventh boundary and added a valuable 33 runs for the sixth wicket with captain Rashid Latif, who was the last man out for five on a day dominated by Bangladesh. Inzamam is partnered by Saqlain Mushtaq on three not out.
Bangladesh, seeking their first ever win after losing 22 of their 23 Tests, made a spirited fight to post 154 runs in their second innings after they took a lead of 106 runs in the first innings.
The tourists, criticized for their performances since gaining Test status in 2000, also bowled well and had they not dropped crucial catches they could have snatched victory on day three.
“I am happy that we have come so close to the win but there are four wickets to be taken and the job is to be finished,” Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud said. “We need to get Inzamam out and we will definitely have a sleepless night,” said Mahmud, who took over the captaincy in April this year.
Pakistan’s second innings got off to a brisk start, their openers making 45 — including seven boundaries from 18-year-old debutant Salman Butt — before Bangladesh struck two crucial blows through left-arm fast bowler Majurul Islam.
Majurul dismissed Salman in his fifth over, when a flashy drive was well held in the gully by substitute Mashrafe Murtaza for 27. Pakistan reached 52-1 at lunch but in his fifth over after the break, Majurul forced an edge off Hafeez, again smartly snapped up by Mashrafe for 18.
Yasir Hameed, who scored twin hundreds on debut in the first Test in Karachi, tried to hit his team out of trouble with two well-timed boundaries off Mahmud in one over. But with Yasir on 18, the diminutive Bangladesh skipper’s last ball jumped up at Hameed and caught the shoulder of the bat for Mashrafe’s third catch.
Pakistan then slipped into deeper trouble when experienced batsmen Younis Khan was run out without scoring. Mohamad Rafique made it 99-5 when he had Farhan Adil caught in the slip for eight to take his tally of wickets in the series to 16.
Earlier in the morning, bad light and a heavy dust storm caused a 30-minute delay to the start and Bangladesh, resuming at 77-4, lost skipper Khaled Mahmud on the first delivery of the day.
Lanky pacer Shabbir Ahmed trapped Mahmud in front of the wicket for two before debutant Yasir Ali removed Alok Kapali, caught behind by Rashid for 22.
Wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud held one end intact to add an invaluable 43 runs for the last four wickets before fast bowler Umer Gul struck twice to finish with a career-best 4-58. Gul forced innings topscorer Razin Salih (42) to edge an outgoing delivery to wicketkeeper Rashid Latif, who took his fourth catch of the innings.
Latif finished with 18 dismissals in the series — a new Pakistan record for most dismissals in a three-match series erasing Salim Yousuf’s 15 (all catches) against New Zealand in 1990-91. Pakistan leads the series 2-0 following its seven- and nine-wicket wins in Karachi and Peshawar last month.
