Pakistan's bowlers continue to struggle with discipline

	Wide gulf: Pakistan's bowlers have conceded 28 more extras than their Bangladeshi counterparts in the series so far © AFP

In few departments of the game have Bangladesh been visibly better than Pakistan in this series. Their batting, though improving, has been fitful and when they have scored runs, they have given away the fruits of their effort. Their bowling has broadly been ineffective, save the admirable Mashrafe Mortaza. Bangladesh's youth possibly edges the fielding stakes, though not by much.

But the one department where Bangladesh are better off is the discipline of their bowlers. In three matches so far, they have given away 32 extras, of which 19 were wides. Moreover, they have bowled just a solitary no-ball in the series, and that too was a beamer from Shahadat Hossain.

In contrast, Pakistan have leaked 60 extras in three matches, of which 39 are wides and 10 front-foot no-balls. Against Zimbabwe earlier in the year, Pakistan conceded 80 extras in five games, with 62 wides and 10 no-balls. Under the free-hit rule, even a single no-ball is a sin and with a coach who is an ex-bowler himself, even more so. But this is an old, embedded problem that has afflicted most Pakistan pace bowlers through the 90s, briefly controlled when Waqar Younis became bowling coach two years ago.

"It is definitely a concern for us," Shoaib Malik, Pakistan captain, said. "The problem has been with controlling the new ball at the start. We have tried some new bowlers and that has affected it [the extras] as well. But we are working hard on it. If you make 300-plus and give away 30-40 extras, that takes away the advantage of such a big total and we really need to control this element."

Perhaps they can learn from their opposition, who work hard to eradicate the problem in net practices. "We're pretty good in that department to be honest," said Jamie Siddons, Bangladesh's coach. "We can't afford to give away runs through that. Discipline on that in the nets is tough. We know that is one of the things in a cricket game we can control and we do it."

The recent figures for Pakistan mask the fact that a number of new fast bowlers made their debuts in the series against Zimbabwe. Umar Gul has also just made his comeback from a long lay-off and has struggled to relocate his rhythm. Mohammad Asif is likely to make his return in Multan so there might yet be more headaches with extras.

Pakistan might get away with such spendthrift ways against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, but when the competition gets tougher at the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy, Malik knows an extra 20-30 runs in each game will make the difference.