Pakistan v Bangladesh, Twenty20, Karachi

Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 102 runs in the Twenty20 international at National Stadium on Sunday.

Misbah-ul Haq led Pakistan's charge in guiding the home team to a comfortable 102-run win in the one-off Twenty20 international at the National Stadium here on Sunday. The 33-year-old scored his only over.

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik was full of praise for his team.

"We showed true team spirit and the way we have played in this whole series gives me a lot of satisfaction that this team can do better against tougher opponents in the coming season,"

he said.

Bangladesh skipper Ashraful said his young team needed time to improve.

"Credit to Pakistan, they outclassed us. We have a young team so we need time to improve but I feel that we are learning with every match,"

he said.

Earlier, Misbah shared two important stands of 78 for the third wicket with Younis Khan (47) and 63 for the fourth wicket with captain Shoaib Malik (37) after Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat.

Misbah hit five towering sixes and three boundaries off just 53 balls to build Pakistan's highest total in a Twenty20 international, beating 191-7 also against Bangladesh in Nairobi last year.

Pakistan, who blanked the visitors 5-0 in the preceding one-day series, lost openers Salman Butt (one) and Kamran Akmal (nought) in paceman Mashrafe Mortaza's first over, but Misbah put the team back on track.

Butt was run out after he failed to regain his crease off the second ball, while Akmal was bowled off Mortaza's sixth delivery.

Younis matched Misbah stroke for stroke, hitting seven boundaries during his 28-ball knock before left-arm spinner Hasan caught him off his own bowling.

Malik upped the tempo as Pakistan made 90 off their first 10 overs. He hit two boundaries and three sixes before he was stumped off left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak.

Misbah lifted Razzak for a six over long-on to cross his previous highest Twenty20 score of 66 made against Australia. His 87 also becomes the highest score by a Pakistani batsmen in a Twenty20 match.

The previous highest by a Pakistani batsman in a T20 match was Misbah's own 66.

Pakistan v Bangladesh, 5th ODI, Karachi

Pakistan 329 for 9 (Butt 136, Younis 69) beat Bangladesh 179 (Mahmudullah 37, Asif 3-35) by 150 runs

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 offstump. 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 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.

Yousuf dropped from Pakistan’s T20 squad

Pakistan on Friday dropped experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf for their first ever home Twenty20 international, against Bangladesh.

The prolific Yousuf, 33, was also left out for Pakistan's Twenty20 World Cup campaign when they finished runners-up to India.

Pakistan have already secured the five-match one-day series 4-0 with the final fixture being played here on Saturday. The Twenty20 match is on Sunday.

Pakistan Twenty20 squad: Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Nasir Jamshed, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar, Wahab Riaz, Fawad Alam, Shoaib Khan, Mansoor Amjad.

Pakistan v Bangladesh, 4th ODI, MULTAN

Pakistan gained 4-0 lead in the series by defeating Bangladesh by seven wickets in the fourth One-day International here on Wednesday.

In reply to Bangladesh’s 210, Pakistan easily achieved the winning target for the loss of only three wickets.

From Pakistan, opener Salman Butt made 74 and Bazid Khan scored 51 while Mohammad Yousuf and Fawad Alam remained not out on 37 and five, respectively.

From Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzaq took one wicket each.

Earlier, Bangladesh were all out for 210 in 49.1 overs, setting Pakistan a winning target of 211 runs.

Left-handed batsman Shakib Al Hasan scored 108 from 120 balls with eight fours. This was the first individual hundred from a Bangladeshi in the current series.

Batting at number five, Shakib added 97 runs for the ninth wicket with Mashrafe Mortaza, who came at number ten to make 38.

Winning the toss, Bangladesh batted first but none of their batsmen could make any significant score except Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza.

From Pakistan, pacers Sohail Khan and Umar Gul captured three wickets each while Mohammad Asif claimed two wickets. Spinners Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik took one wicket each.

Pakistan v Bangladesh, 3rd ODI, Lahore

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 a three consecutive fours in the eighth over.

He took a particular liking to Abdur Razzak, making room to cut square off 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 Fawab 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.

Man of The Match: Salman Butt

Younis opts out of remaining ODIs

Younis Khan has pulled out of Pakistan's squad for the remaining three one-day internationals against Bangladesh, citing the need for rest. Younis asked the selectors to be omitted from the squad, a wish the committee granted.

"He asked us for rest and we agreed,"

Salahuddin Ahmed, chief selector, told Cricinfo.

"It gives us a chance to give some other players a go as well, guys like Bazid Khan and Fawad Alam in the batting."

Younis has seemed out of sorts in the first two matches, scoring 1 and 13. Before the first ODI in Lahore he had threatened to pull out of the match, apparently disturbed by an interview with officers from the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) about a function he attended on the tour to India in 2007. There is bound to be speculation that the pull-out is related to that, though Salahuddin denied it, saying only that Younis had cited 'personal reasons.'

No other changes have been made to the squad ahead of the third ODI against, with Pakistan sticking to a reduced 15-man squad. If Pakistan wrap up the series on Sunday in Lahore, it is likely new faces will be inducted into the squad for the remaining games.

Squad: Shoaib Malik (capt), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Bazid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Fawad Alam

Pakistan v Bangladesh, 2nd ODI, Faisalabad

Pakistan 160 for 3 (Butt 76) beat Bangladesh 225 for 8 (Tamim 60, Mahmudullah 58*) by 7 wickets on D/L method

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 at the fag end of 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 the 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 that 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 off the opening bowlers and it was 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 punched crisply through the off side and back past the bowler.

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. Shahid Afridi pulled back the initiative and Bangladesh lost their mainstay for 60.

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, waiting for the turn and pushing the ball into the gaps and fetching the odd boundary. The partnership was worth 37 before Reza lunged forward to 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 brought up their 50 stand, 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 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 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 in his cameo knock of 32, and on 19 became the second Pakistani to cross 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.

Bangladesh aims to improve in Pakistan series

Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons said Thursday he hoped his team would put up a better show in the second match against Pakistan here following an embarrassing defeat in the series opener.

The tourists were thrashed by 152 runs in the first of five matches in Lahore on Tuesday. The teams next meet Friday.

"It was a bit embarrassing to lose by that margin and we need to lift ourselves, but it is always tough against a team like Pakistan,"

said Siddons, blaming two power failure stoppages for derailing his team's run-chase.

Two power outages, stopping play for 48 minutes in all, saw Bangladesh's target revised from 323 to 282 in 39 overs, which proved beyond their reach after a poor start.

Bangladesh finally folded at 129 in 29.5 overs.

"At the start, we were chasing six plus an over but after lights went off twice we were left chasing nine an over, which proved tough,"

Siddons said.

Bangladesh surprisingly left out their front-line fast bowlers Shahadat Hossain and Syed Rasel -- a move Siddons admitted backfired.

"We were one bowler short and that cost us dearly. The fifth bowler cost us nearly 106 runs in ten overs. But one slip does not make a series,"

said Siddons, who took over as coach last year.

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said Bangladesh was a quality opponent.

"They are a good side and we are not taking them lightly,"

said Malik of the Bangladesh team, who are here as a replacement to Australia, which postponed their Pakistan tour over security fears.

"At least we are playing some cricket, which is better than not having cricket at all. We did some experiments against Zimbabwe, and now we will do more against Bangladesh, and these will help us in the future."

Pakistan v Bangladesh, 1st ODI, Lahore

Pakistan 322 for 7 (Yousuf 108*, Malik 85) beat
Bangladesh 129 (Tanvir 3-29, Afridi 3-41) by 152 runs


Bangladesh suffered one of their most embarssing defeats in one-dayers when they went down by 152 runs in the first match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

A 145-run fourth-wicket partnership between Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik propelled Pakistan to an imposing 322 for 7 and set up the victory on a flat batting strip, before the seamers dented Bangladesh's reply. Two interruptions early in the chase - caused by floodlight failures - reduced the target to 282 from 39 overs and offered no respite as the innings folded up within 30 overs.

The experienced duo of Yousuf and Malik steadied the ship after the top order failed to capitalise in conditions tailor-made for batting, especially with the afternoon start negating effects of early swing. They took on Bangladesh's slow bowlers, who've earned a reputation for applying the stranglehold in the middle overs, and the stand came at over a run-a-ball - Malik contributed 85 and Yousuf carried on to an unbeaten 103-ball 108, his 15th ODI hundred.

The pair came together at 70 for 3 in the 18th over and took little time to settle down and push the scoring. The spinners were rendered impotent as the batting conditions eased out further through the evening - with no turn on offer, the pair picked off easy singles and never failed to put away the long-hops and half volleys.

Malik got his eye in quickly and peppered the offside boundary. If it was pitched fractionally short and wide, he gave himself room and creamed it past backward point. A punch to long-off brought up his fifty, off just 45 balls, and the pair clocked 100 runs off only 92. Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed were at the receiving end of the pounding early on and Malik adjusted well at the crease each time they varied the length of the ball. If it was full, it was creamed past the covers; if it was pitched fractionally short, it was slashed past backward point. Malik looked set for a century but perished after giving Shakib Al Hasan the charge, sending one down Shahriar Nafees' throat at long-off.

Yousuf initially played second fiddle to Malik and was more intent in rotating the strike. He then took Mahmudullah, the part-time offspinner, to the cleaners, sweeping with precision to the on side boundaries and even improvising with a reverse-sweep. Mahmudullah conceded 21 in one over, which included two consecutive sixes by Misbah-ul-Haq, and conceded a dubious 59 off five overs before he was finally pulled out.

Yousuf brought up his 15th ODI ton with a sweep to the deep on the on side and the team's 300 with a slash wide of backward point. Shahid Afridi added his fireworks in the end to push the score to 322.

Bangladesh's new opening pair of Shahriar Nafees and Tamim Iqbal failed to carry on their success in the recent series against Ireland when faced with a world class bowling attack. Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir challenged the pair with bounce and exaggerated seam movement as the batting conditions appeared considerably difficult. Tamim was all at sea against Tanvir and was squared up by an inswinger which took the off stump.

Nafees then fell off an injudicious stroke off an equally poor delivery. Nailed to the crease, he flashed at a delivery so wide - even by Test match standards - and managed a thin edge to Kamran Akmal. Four overs later, Tanvir changed his line of attack to round the wicket and immediately got a wicket. Aftab Ahmed, who survived a nervous start charged down the track to launch him downtown, misread the shorter length and got a thick outside edge to Akmal. The lights went out at the end of the 12th over, forcing the players off the field and a second interruption, four balls into the next over didn't help Bangladesh's cause.

The situation deteriorated further when Rao Iftikhar Anjum struck twice in successive deliveries to send back Mohammad Ashraful and Shakib Al Hasan shortly after resumption. Ashraful's lost his offstump while attempting a wild swing across the line and Shakib got a thick edge to Akmal off a loose drive away from his body. A mix-up in the running compounded their woes as Raqibul Hasan called for a risky single and sent back Mahmudullah. At 68 for 6, it was all one-way traffic as Afridi and Malik shared the last four wickets to mop up the tail.

Man of the Match: Muhammad Yousuf

Schedule (Bangladesh in Pakistan 2007/08)

08 Apr 2008	1st ODI		Pakistan v Bangladesh	Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore	ODI
11 Apr 2008	2nd ODI		Pakistan v Bangladesh	Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad	ODI
13 Apr 2008	3rd ODI		Pakistan v Bangladesh	Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore	ODI
16 Apr 2008	4th ODI		Pakistan v Bangladesh	Multan Cricket Stadium	ODI
19 Apr 2008	5th ODI		Pakistan v Bangladesh	National Stadium, Karachi	ODI
20 Apr 2008	Twenty20		Pakistan v Bangladesh	National Stadium, Karachi	T20

Squad for Bangladesh (Bangladesh in Pakistan 2007/08)

Abdur Razzak

Aftab Ahmed

Dhiman Ghosh (wicket-keeper)

Farhad Reza

Junaid Siddique

Mahmudullah

Mashrafe Mortaza (vice-captain)

Mehrab Hossain

Mohammad Ashraful (captain)

Mushfiqur Rahim

Nazimuddin

Nazmul Hossain

Shahadat Hossain

Shahriar Nafees

Shakib Al Hasan

Syed Rasel

Tamim Iqbal

We’ll give tough time to Pakistan: Ashraful

Bangladesh cricket team captain Mohammad Ashraful has said that his team would not be an easy prey for Pakistan in the forthcoming series while Bangladesh coach Jemmie Seddon, belonging to Australia, said that his team wwould not feel any danger in Pakistan.

In a press conference, held at a local hotel in Karachi, Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful said that his team comprises of young players but they all are talented.

However, he said that it would take a year or two in becoming a good team but it would give Pakistan a tough time in the forthcoming series.

Replying to a question regarding Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Ashraful said that Shoaib is not representing Pakistan during the last two or three series and it would not make any difference if he does not play this series also.

Bangladesh cricket team arrives in Lahore

Bangladesh cricket team, after staying for a few hours in Karachi, has arrived in Lahore where besides playing a practice match it will play two One-day Internationals against Pakistan.

The Bangladesh cricket team will play five One-day internationals and a Twenty20 International match in Pakistan.

The first and the third match of the series will be played in Lahore, second in Faisalabad, fourth in Multan and the fifth and the final ODI and the solitary T20 International match will be played in Karachi.

It may be recalled that after Australia withdrew from touring Pakistan, Bangladesh cricket team has come on the tour of Pakistan.

16 Players announced for the first 2 ODIs against Bangladesh

The Selection Committee headed by Mr. Salahuddin Ahmed has announced the following players for the first 2-ODIs to be played against Bangladesh starting from 8th April 2008. The names are as follows:

1. Shoaib Malik - (Captain)
2. Salman Butt
3. Nasir Jamshed
4. Younis Khan
5. Mohammad Yousuf
6. Misbah-ul-Haq
7. Shahid Afridi
8. Kamran Akmal - (Wicket Keeper)
9. Umar Gul
10. Sohail Tanvir
11. Iftikhar Anjum
12. Sohail Khan
13. Wahab Riaz
14. Fawad Alam
15. Bazid Khan
16. Sarfraz Ahmed - (Wicket Keeper)

The players such as Yasir Hamid, Yasir Arafat, Faisal Iqbal, Naumanullah, Abdur Rauf, Kamran Hussain, Junaid Zia, Yasir Ali, Umair Khan and others who are performing well in Domestic Cricket (Patangular & ABN AMRO One Day Cup) will also be considered for the next 3ODIs.

Pak squad against BD to be announced tomorrow

Chief Selector of Pakistan Cricket team Salahuddin Sallu has said the squad for Pak- Bangladesh series will be announced tomorrow (Sunday).

Talking to newsmen before the selection committee’s meeting at Qaddafi stadium Lahore he said that squad for the first two one dayers will be announced tomorrow after consulting Geoff Lawson and Chairman PCB.

He also said that inclusion of Muhammad Asif and Umer Gul is conditional to their fitness reports.

Shoaib Akhtar not to be included in Pak squad against BD

Chief Selector of Pakistan Cricket team Salahuddin Sallu hinted Saturday that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will not be included in Pakistan squad for first two one-days against Bangladesh.

Talking to newsmen here he said that since disciplinary committee has not sent report regarding Shoaib Akhtar to the Selection Committee therefore he is not being considered for the squad, which will be announced tomorrow.

He also said that inclusion of Muhammad Asif and Umer Gul is conditional to their fitness reports.

PCB selection Committee meeting on Saturday

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection Committee will hold a meeting on Saturday to finalize the national squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

Fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif are less likely to be included in the squad.

Chief Selector Salahud Din Sallu will chair the PCB meeting on Saturday at Gaddafi Stadium.

Talking to Geo News, the chief selector said the players would be short-listed for five-match series against Bangladesh. The 15 to 16-member team is expected to be declared for the first two matches.

Salahud Din said the case of Shoaib Akhtar is with the disciplinary committee; whereas Mohammed Asif and Umer Gul are injured, that is why, these bowlers could not get clearance.

Asif expects to be fit before series against BD

Fast bowler Mohammad Asif has expressed hope that he would be 100 per cent fit before the series against Bangladesh and would be seen in action in the series.

Mohammad Asif did full training under supervision of coach Jeff Lawson and trainer David Dyer at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore.

Talking with Geo News, Mohammad Asif said that he is bowling these days and he die not face any pain in his right elbow.

Mohammad Asif has been suffering from elbow problem for the last six months. He played his last one-day international last year against South Africa in Multan after which he went through an operation in Asutralia.

Home series schedule against Bangladesh announced

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the schedule for home series pf five one-dayers and a 20twenty match against Bangladesh on Monday.

Bangladeshi team would reach Karachi on April 6. First match of the series would be played on April 8 in Lahore, second on April 11 in Faisalabad, third on April 13 in Lahore, fourth in Multan on April 16 whereas fifth one-dayer would be played in Karachi on April 19.

All the matches would be day-night whereas the only 20twenty match of the series would be played in Karachi on April 20.

Pakistan to try out youngsters for Bangladesh ODIs

Pakistan will try out youngsters for the five one-dayers against Bangladesh next month at home. But though some new players will be given a chance, chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said Pakistan would not take Bangladesh lightly.

"They can be a dangerous team on their day,"

Salahuddin told the News, a Pakistan daily.

"For us the most important task would be to win the series and win comfortably."

After Australia decided to postpone their tour of Pakistan, the PCB searched for a team to replace them for a five-match ODI series. The PCB was keen on India to play the matches but the BCCI could not fit another series in to an already jam-packed itinerary.

In their recent ODIs against Zimbabwe, Pakistan tried out opener Nasir Jamshed, bowlers Abdur Rauf, Junaid Zia, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Khurram Manzoor and Khalid Latif. They also played wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed for the last two games in place of regular keeper Kamran Akmal.

But Salahuddin said Pakistan would not take any chances in playing Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh proved they are a good one-day side by reaching the last-eight in the World Cup,"

he said. Bangladesh beat India and South Africa in the tournament while Pakistan, along with India, made an exit in the first round.

The Pakistan selectors will meet members of the junior national selection committee on March 21 for advice on the young talent available in the country and announce the squad by the end of the month.