Bangladesh v Pakistan, 2014-15

	The Pakistan players celebrate after wrapping up the Test series 1-0 © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Tour and tournament reports : Bangladesh v Pakistan, 2014-15 Matches: Bangladesh v Pakistan at Mirpur Series/Tournaments: Pakistan tour of Bangladesh Teams: Bangladesh | Pakistan

At Mirpur, May 6-9, 2015. Pakistan won by 328 runs. Toss: Bangladesh.
Normal service was resumed after the defiance of Khulna, with Pakistan easing to their ninth victory in ten Tests against Bangladesh. Pakistan again ran up a big total - and this time, on a quicker pitch, the home batsmen could not dig in for the duration. Bangladesh's decision to choose only two seamers looked suspect when Mushfiqur Rahim opted to bowl - and even more so when Shahadat Hossain limped off in the opening over after tripping while delivering the first ball. Though he returned briefly, he further damaged his knee ligaments while practising in the lunch interval, and faced a six- month lay-off. Azhar Ali made hay against a lop-sided attack, extending his eighth Test century to his first double. His 226 was the record score between these sides, sneaking past Mohammad Hafeez's 224 in the previous match.

Azhar shared a stand of 250 with Younis Khan, who equalled Don Bradman with his 29th Test century. Both survived being caught off what replays showed were no-balls. In all, Azhar - who also put on 207 with Asad Shafiq - batted for 562 minutes, faced 428 balls, and hit 20 fours and two sixes. The features of his diligent innings were front-foot drives and sweet timing, although he had a lucky escape on 157 - a score on which he had twice previously fallen in Tests - when he edged off-spinner Shuvagata Hom just past the wicketkeeper and through the vacant slip area.

The spinners could do little to stem the flow, and Misbah-ul-Haq eventually declared at tea on the second day. He then watched his own bowlers make the most of the pitch. Junaid Khan removed Tamim Iqbal with the fourth ball and, after Imrul Kayes stroked him for four boundaries in an over, had Mominul Haque caught behind. Yasir Shah's third delivery - a big leg-break - knocked back Imrul's leg stump, and two more wickets left Bangladesh floundering at 107 for five by the close.

With Wahab Riaz disconcerting the batsmen with his bounce, the innings lasted less than 20 overs next morning, and it was a surprise when Misbah decided to bat again, despite a lead of 354. Hafeez fell for a fourth-ball duck, but Misbah led the way himself with 82 from 72 deliveries, before calling a halt.

Bangladesh were left to score 550 in more than two days, but there was no repeat of the openers' Khulna heroics. Imrul again fell to Yasir, and Tamim - having become the second Bangladeshi, after Habibul Bashar, to pass 3,000 Test runs - departed quickly on the fourth morning, swishing at a wide one from Imran Khan. Earlier, Imran had become the first player not to face a ball in his first four Tests.

Mominul stood firm, reaching 50 for the 11th Test in a row (only A. B. de Villiers, with 12, had a longer sequence). But wickets fell regularly at the other end, and when Mominul finally drove low to cover it was 143 for seven, with Shahadat unable to bat. The impressive Yasir hastened the end with four more wickets. After a month in Bangladesh, Pakistan had finally won a game - and with it the Test series.
Man of the Match: Azhar Ali. Man of the Series: Azhar Ali.