Bangladesh Win India Out, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Asia Cup, Mirpur

Bangladesh 212 for 5 (Tamim 59, Shakib 56, Nasir 36*) beat Sri Lanka 232 (Kapugedera 62, Nazmul 3-32) by five wickets by D/L method  

Bangladesh made it to the final of the Asia Cup, defying pre-tournament expectations with consecutive victories against their more fancied neighbours. It was only the second time they had reached the finals of a one-day tournament. The bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 232, but rain siphoned off ten overs and reduced the target to 212. The increased asking-rate, 5.30 an over, gave both teams a chance, but enterprising batting by Tamim Iqbal on a spiced-up pitch gave their chase a kickstart. The Bangladesh middle order withstood the pressure and gave the expectant crowd a reason to show up in similar numbers for the final, on Thursday.

Nasir Hossain proved once again why he is the find of the season for Bangladesh and Tamim put the farce of his earlier non-selection to rest. Nasir's calm half-century partnership with Mahmudullah ensured Bangladesh did not implode in the rush for a quick finish. The sea of green jerseys in the crowd were rewarded for staying in their seats even as Sri Lanka clawed back. Many clasped their hands in prayer once Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket, Shakib Al Hasan, but the temperament of the sixth-wicket pair showed why Bangladesh could start the finals not as underdogs, but contenders. India, waiting on the result of this game, will be headed home despite a better net run-rate because they lost to Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka were pegged back at the very beginning, when another Hossain, Nazmul, coming in for the injured Shafiul Islam, nipped out three top-order wickets. The middle order, led by Chamara Kapugedera, gave the innings some respectability, but Sri Lanka were not able to post a challenging score on a ground on which two big chases had already been completed in the tournament.

A mid-innings downpour gave the pitch the kind of zip missing during the afternoon. Lasith Malinga tested the top order with bouncers that fizzed past the helmet, while Nuwan Kulasekara got the ball to swerve in to the right-handers to castle Nazimuddin and flummox the captain Mushfiqur Rahim.

Bangladesh were three down for 40, but the passage of play was punctuated by some blistering strokeplay by Tamim. His balance and follow-through were exemplary, especially in his driving through the off side. Mahela Jayawardene tried to plug that gap with a short point, and later with two fielders up close at cover and extra cover, but Tamim was not deterred. He lofted one over the covers and then whipped consecutive boundaries through midwicket, showing his class on both sides of the wicket.

Shakib, after passing a tough test against some short bowling, settled in and crashed Suranga Lakmal for three consecutive boundaries through the off side. Tamim reached his half-century with a clip for four off Farveez Maharoof, and his pleasing strokeplay won the applause of the country's premier Sheikh Hasina, also in attendance. He was dropped by Sachitra Senanayake, after lobbing a simple chance back to the bowler, but Senanayake finally got his man when an uppish slash was taken at point. Tamim walked back to a hush from the expectant crowd, with their hopes pinned on Shakib.

Shakib's battle with Senanayake was a compelling one. Shakib got on top of him initially with boundaries over extra cover, but once the bowler shortened his length, Shakib looked edgy. Unsure of the bounce, he stabbed at two consecutive deliveries and nearly lobbed both for catches. Senanayake got one to skid through and trapped him in front of leg stump to give Sri Lanka hope, with the hosts still 77 runs adrift.

Sri Lanka were guilty of easing the pressure on the batsmen by feeding them balls full on the pads, which were clipped away to fine leg. Nasir and Mahmudullah kept out the inswinging yorkers, did not panic when they played the ball to the fielders, and calmly picked up singles. Tillakaratne Dilshan was brought on after the quicks failed to take wickets, but the pair didn't change their approach. A firm push by Nasir was parried by mid-on to the boundary, leading to wild celebrations and a victory lap.

The win was set up by Nazmul, who removed the power trio of Jayawardene, Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara. Jayawardene missed a straight one, Dilshan chopped a delivery onto his stumps and Sangakkara spooned a catch to extra cover, bringing an end to an indifferent season with the bat for him.

Bangladesh came out with a sense of purpose, fielding with intent after winning the toss. They were aided by a surface which, though not the same used for the India-Pakistan game, appeared slower and suited their crop of bowlers. The medium-pacers bowled several slower deliveries to tighten the noose on the run-rate.

Kapugedera and Lahiru Thirimanne added 88 for the fourth wicket, but one of them needed to bat through the innings to set a competitive target. Upul Tharanga made a breezy 48*, but not for the first time since his demotion, he had to repair the damage done upfront, again raising questions about the structure of the batting line-up.

Kapugedera, under pressure to keep his place, made good use of his promotion, using his feet to the spinners. A stroke of luck, though, gave Bangladesh the breakthrough when Thirimanne missed a nudge off Abdur Razzak and was stumped after the ball deflected off Mushfiqur's pads onto the stumps.

Tharanga's arrival perked up the scoring, as he punished a wayward Shahadat Hossain for three quick boundaries. Kapugedera managed a face-saving half-century, but his innings was cut short by a sharp reflex-catch by Shakib at extra cover. Shakib struck with the ball soon after, getting two wickets. Boundaries by the lower order pushed Sri Lanka to 232, but one could sense that was always going to be inadequate.

It ended a mixed season for a travel-weary Sri Lanka, following the highs of Australia. Not too long ago, India were in their hotel rooms in Brisbane, hoping for a Sri Lankan defeat to push them into the CB Series finals. This time, in a hotel not far from the ground, they were ironically hoping for a Sri Lankan win. There were no back-door entries for a team which has suffered its worst away season in recent history.

Smart stats

• Bangladesh reached the finals of a multi-nation tournament for only the second time. In their only previous final, in a home tri-nation tournament in 2009, they lost by two wickets to Sri Lanka after having reduced them to 6 for 5.
• Bangladesh's win is only their third against Sri Lanka and their second against a Test-playing team in this tournament. The last time Bangladesh beat two Test-playing nations in a single tournament was in the 2007 World Cup when they defeated India and South Africa.
• Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the final of the Asia Cup for the first time. It is also the eighth time in Asia and the second time in multi-team tournaments in the subcontinent that Sri Lanka have failed to win a single match.
• Shakib Al Hasan's half-century is his 24th in ODIs and his third against Sri Lanka. His strike-rate of 121.73 is his fourth-highest for a fifty-plus score.
• Tamim Iqbal scored his third consecutive half-century of the tournament and became only the third Bangladesh batsman, after Mohammad Ashraful and Shahriar Nafees, to score three consecutive fifties in an ODI series.
• The 76-run stand between Shakib and Tamim is the fifth-highest fourth-wicket stand for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka. Shakib has been involved in three of the top five partnerships.
• The 88-run stand between Chamara Kapugedera and Lahiru Thrimanne is the fourth-highest fourth-wicket stand for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh.

India v Pakistan, Asia Cup, Mirpur,India Beat Pakistan By 6 Wickets

India 330 for 4 (Kohli 183, Rohit 68, Tendulkar 52) beat Pakistan 329 for 6 (Hafeez 105, Jamshed 112, Younis 52) by six wickets 

                            

Their bowling might struggle to defend 289 against Bangladesh. Their batting might not be resilient enough to dominate in all conditions. But in the subcontinent, India are the masters of the chase. And after having knocked off 321 in 36.4 overs in Hobart barely three weeks ago, they completed their highest successful ODI chase, in Mirpur, against Pakistan, who are not exactly a weak bowling side. And leading the mammoth effort was that man Virat Kohli who scored a career-best 183. Forget the obscenities, forget the extreme emotions; with 11 hundreds, including three in his last four innings, Kohli is one of the most complete ODI batsmen in the world now.

When a boundary is needed, Kohli is the man. When the singles are needed, Kohli is the man. When a gap is to be found, Kohli is the man. He kept doing all of that for 148 deliveries against Pakistan. By the time he was done, he had hit 23 boundaries and made 183. India had lost Gautam Gambhir off the second ball of the innings. They lost just one more wicket in the next 272. Kohli's dominance was so complete, it left contrasting support performances from Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma in the shade. It certainly meant Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed's centuries were in vain, as was their 224-run opening stand, Pakistan's highest against India, and their second-highest ever.

Not losing by a bonus point put Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup; it kept India and Bangladesh dependent on the result of the last league game between the hosts and Sri Lanka, who have been knocked out. A win for Bangladesh will see them go through, as they lead the head-to-head against India in the tournament; any other result will see India qualify.

It was Kohli who almost single-handedly kept India in the tournament with a performance so supreme it led Misbah-ul-Haq to call it one of the best ODI innings he had seen. Chasing 330 is tough. Chasing 330 against Pakistan should be as tough as it gets for an India batsman. Kohli could not bother about things such as pressure, even when Pakistan struck gold in the first over when Mohammad Hafeez trapped Gambhir in front.

Pakistan were playing five bowlers but India worked around the threat of Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul initially by targetting the others. Tendulkar and Kohli outdid each other in strokemaking. Their second-wicket partnership was worth 133 in just 19.1 overs. While Gul and Ajmal were given the respect they deserved, the shorter lengths of Wahab Riaz and Aizaz Cheema were taken for runs, as was the quicker pace of Shahid Afridi.

The 100th century finally done with, Tendulkar was totally unrestrained and went along at a faster clip than Kohli. India found momentum in the third over, Cheema's first, which went for 12. Kohli began with a violent pull while Tendulkar's back-foot punch past cover was vintage. Pakistan had just started to suffer for bowling the wrong lengths. Cheema continued to bowl short of a good length, and Tendulkar brought out another vintage shot - a sly guide over the wicketkeeper that flew away for six.

Tendulkar and Kohli dealt with the spinners in their own ways when they needed the boundaries. Tendulkar carted Hafeez over midwicket with a slog sweep; Kohli whipped Afridi through the same region.

Riaz's three-over spell put Pakistan under even more pressure. Not only did he bowl short, he kept on targeting Kohli's pads and the batsman helped himself to several fours on the on side. He ultimately disappeared for 50 in four overs. Hafeez, the lone part-timer used, went for only 42 in nine.

Tendulkar, meanwhile, misread an Ajmal doosra after reaching his half-century and ended up edging it to slip, but Kohli was looking nearly unstoppable. What he needed was a sidekick and Rohit rose to the occasion. He took his time before showing his range against spin with a series of cuts, pulls and lofted drives over extra cover. Kohli and Rohit went one better than Kohli and Tendulkar had, as the third wicket realised 172 in 26.2 overs.

Kohli was in the zone. He went without a boundary for 32 balls, but still scored 25. In this period, he got to his century, which came with the now-famous emphatic celebration. In this period, Rohit kept getting the boundaries. The asking-rate still crossed eight an over after the 40th over. Kohli went after Gul in the 41st in a flurry of whip, swat, loft and clip. Sixteen runs later, the rate was below seven-and-a-half. He wasn't done yet. Riaz was greeted with a whip off a yorker, a flick and a drive in the 42nd. Thirteen runs later, the rate was below seven.

Though Kohli and Rohit could not hit the winning runs, the game as a contest between India's batsmen and Pakistan's bowlers had ended during their partnership.

Hafeez and Jamshed had ensured the pressure would be squarely on India going into the chase, with a 224-run opening partnership. After having failed to defend 289 against Bangladesh, India were once again let down by the inability of their bowlers to either strike or contain.

India had the opportunity to make first use of the Mirpur pitch, which has been harsher for bowlers in the evening, but Hafeez and Jamshed stroked boundaries at will, against a listless unit, on their way to centuries. Younis Khan, usually not one to worry attacks at the death, smashed 52 off 34 deliveries to lift Pakistan to their second-highest total against India.

India's lack of penetration was evident when MS Dhoni threw the ball to Tendulkar in the 24th over, after having already tried seven bowlers. Five of them had already gone at more than run-a-ball by then, and none, barring Ashok Dinda, had come close to troubling the Pakistan openers.

Pakistan had taken control long before that, though, with Hafeez and Jamshed, a burly left-hander in the Graeme Smith mould, playing with assurance and eschewing any desperation.

The previous best opening stand for Pakistan against India was 144 between Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar in 1996; Hafeez and Jamshed had already rustled up 150 at the halfway mark. Both soon got to their centuries, Jamshed's being his maiden one in ODIs.

The batting Powerplay consumed both batsmen, as they searched for more runs, but Younis and Umar Akmal ensured that Pakistan came nowhere near enduring the kind of middle-order collapse they had had against Bangladesh.

Younis has been criticised for being slow in this format, but today he was at ease as the innings neared its close. Orthodox punches and lofts raced for boundaries through the off side. To Pakistan's misfortune, Kohli would hit them harder in the evening, and for longer.

Bangladesh v India, Asia Cup, Mirpur,ODI,Bangladesh Beat India By 5 Wickets

Bangladesh 293 for 5 (Tamim 70, Nasir 54, Jahurul 53, Shakib 49, Mushfiqur 46*) beat India 289 for 5 (Tendulkar 114, Kohli 66, Raina 51) by five wickets 

Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan delivered an improbable win for Bangladesh that left Sachin Tendulkar's record 100th international century in the shade and threw the Asia Cup wide open. As the focus remained on Tendulkar's achievement for most of the match, Bangladesh did what they had threatened to do in the tournament opener against Pakistan - they showed that they could chase big totals under pressure against Test opposition.

Bangladesh had asked India to bat knowing that chasing has been easier on the Mirpur pitch in this tournament than batting first. Though the strategy had not worked against Pakistan, India did not have an Umar Gul or a Saeed Ajmal to stop a side hungrier than they were for success.

Shakib and Mushfiqur did not succumb to the gnawing tension that an asking-rate of above eight runs an over brings. Instead, India's bowlers crumbled against their aggression. Shakib blitzed 49 off 31 deliveries and were it not for a close stumping decision going against him, might have finished the game on his own.

With 66 needed off 50 deliveries, Shakib was adjudged stumped off R Ashwin with replays showing enough doubt for the benefit to have gone to the batsman. Mushfiqur, who had said yesterday that India's thin bowling unit gave Bangladesh confidence, slammed 46 off 25 as Bangladesh won with four deliveries left.

A steady build-up from Tamim Iqbal and Jahurul Islam had left Bangladesh with a climbing asking-rate. With Nasir Hossain in control at one end, Shakib gave Bangladesh hope with hitting that was as uninhibited as it was daring. He took 18 runs off the 37th over, bowled by Ashok Dinda, with a couple of swings over midwicket and thick edge to third man. R Ashwin dropped it short, and was punched and pulled for boundaries. It was now Irfan Pathan's turn. A slash followed another pull, and the momentum had shifted in Bangladesh's favour.

India managed to sneak in some quiet overs after Shakib fell. It came down to 37 needed off 24. India's quick bowlers were having problems in controlling their deliveries and full tosses had been dished out often. The 48th over was when it fell apart for them. Irfan bowled a wide outside off stump. MS Dhoni ran upto him with some advice. Irfan bowled a length ball on Mushfiqur's pads next. Flicked over deep square leg for six. A stern-looking Dhoni had more words for Irfan. A high full toss followed from around the wicket. Swung over deep midwicket for six more.

With 16 needed off 12, Praveen began the 49th over with a waist-high no-ball. Sliced over point for four. A length delivery followed. Mushfiqur wound up and dispatched it over long-on. Game over. Mushfiqur roared on the field; Shakib did an encore in the dressing room. Bangladesh had only their third ODI win over their big neighbours.

When Tamim and Jahurul were ensuring that Bangladesh did not lose too many wickets during the middle overs, it had seemed that Bangladesh were not far away from coming short against the stiff asking-rate. Tamim again displayed his recent penchant for buckling down to play a long innings while Jahurul picked up the scoring after a slow start. The duo kept getting the odd boundary but could not really dominate. They fell after reaching their fifties, trying to keep up with the requirement, but Shakib and Mushfiqur stunned India with their refusal to give in.

Defeat would have been the last thing on India's minds when, after a year of hype and expectation, Tendulkar got his 100th international century in the country where he had equalled Sunil Gavaskar's then-record 34 Test centuries in 2004 on way to his highest Test score. It wasn't one of Tendulkar's better hundreds and will ultimately be remembered only for being the one that brought up the unprecedented landmark. In fact, it was his second-slowest innings of 100-plus in ODIs and ended up restricting India's progress. They ended up on 289 for 5, an underwhelming outcome considering their power-packed batting line-up had had a platform of 173 for 1 in the 36th over.

Bangladesh's attack was persevering but limited. Tendulkar duly milked them to finally go past a landmark that hardly anyone knew existed before he got close to it, but put tremendous pressure on the player himself in a frenzied build-up that lasted a year.

Tendulkar had motored to 80 off 102 deliveries but took another 36 before he took his hundredth run, off Shakib Al Hasan. The monkey off his back, he belatedly took charge, hitting consecutive boundaries off Shahadat Hossain before a slog ended up in the keeper's hands. Tendulkar's departure came immediately after Suresh Raina's brisk innings had ended after having kept India going amid his senior partner's quest for the century. Raina hit 51 off 38 and built on a 148-run second-wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Kohli, who looked set to become the first India batsman to score three consecutive ODI hundreds until he played on for a breezy 66.

The hosts should have had Kohli with the first ball of the sixth over, when Shafiul Islam struck him on the back leg in front of middle stump, but umpire Paul Reiffel remained unmoved. Kohli's form took over after that, and with Tendulkar batting as safely as he does during some of his long Test innings, India motored along without giving Bangladesh half a chance more.

Bangladesh had themselves to blame for allowing Tendulkar to settle with a generous sprinkling of wide deliveries from their fast bowlers. His first four scoring shots were all boundaries, as he cashed in on width to drive and punch through the off side.

Shafiul had Gautam Gambhir playing on early off a forcing flat-footed drive, but Kohli did not take long to get going after his reprieve. The field hardly moved as he flicked and cover-drove for fours in consecutive overs.

Spin was expected to be a major factor on a dry-looking pitch but Tendulkar and Kohli negotiated Bangladesh's slow army without any problems. The scoring-rate did take a slight beating as singles dominated but Tendulkar soon found the freedom to slog sweep Shakib Al Hasan over wide long-on. With his feet moving precisely now, he made room to cart Shakib inside-out over extra cover to reach his first international fifty in 13 innings. As he passed 80, Tendulkar took his time amid some nerves. Meanwhile, after having contemptuously worked his way to another fifty, Kohli played on against Abdur Razzak.

Raina's slog sweeps and lofted shots over extra cover kept the runs coming, though, but Tendulkar was clearly feeling the pressure at the other end. He played out a maiden to Mashrafe Mortaza on 83, and on several occasions took off for non-existent singles before being sent back. The century arrived in the 44th over, and Tendulkar's relief was evident. With the innings in need of a final burst, Dhoni slammed 16 off the 50th over to get India to 289, but for once Bangladesh chased with as much faith as their fans have in their team.

Tendulkar Reaching 1 ton International Century's In Bangladesh v India, Asia Cup, Mirpur ODI

Tendulkar scores his 100th international century

Sachin Tendulkar  became the first batsman to make a 100 international centuries, getting to the milestone against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla stadium in Mirpur at 5:05pm local time on March 16, 2012. It ended a year-long wait for one of the most discussed landmarks in cricket history, and was his first ODI hundred against Bangladesh, completing his set of centuries against every Full Member country in both Tests and ODIs.

He reached the 100th hundred in the 44th over with a nudge behind square leg, one of his favoured strokes to reach a century. Despite the huge amount of hype surrounding the landmark, which has shown little sign of abating despite the prolonged wait, there was no over-the-top celebration. The helmet came off and there was a wave of the bat, he looked up at the sky, as he usually does on reaching a hundred, and he acknowledged his team-mates by raising his helmet towards the dressing room. Several of the Bangladesh fielders congratulated him, even as the decibel-level in the packed stadium reached new highs.

It was not one of Tendulkar's most swashbuckling innings, more about efficient accumulation early on, before slowing down further as he neared the century, finally completing it off 138 deliveries. Tendulkar's achievement might have come against one of the weaker teams and in the league game of a low-key competition, but he still had to brave a raucous and partisan crowd. Once he reached the eighties, every dot ball he faced was loudly cheered. The Bangladeshi chant expressing displeasure, Bhua bhua, also rang out from sections of the stadium as he batted.

Barring a near stumping opportunity on 51, Tendulkar had been largely untroubled until he progressed closer to the milestone. Several times he had to scramble back after attempting a single on dropping the ball towards cover or midwicket, prompting delight from the fans. The pressure was further built up by a maiden from Mashrafe Mortaza when Tendulkar was on 83, and several well-struck shots didn't beat the fielders. He was nearly run out soon after, trying to pinch a single to backward point.

A lofted drive over extra cover in the 40th over and several singles took him to 99, which was when the crowd began to support Tendulkar, standing up and cheering in anticipation. Though India were past 200 with only two wickets down, Bangladesh tried to stifle Tendulkar by keeping seven fielders in the circle. The single to square leg finally brought an end to the anxious wait for the 100th hundred, another mark of the longevity of the man who already has the most runs and has played the most matches in Tests and ODIs.

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Asia Cup, Mirpur,Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka By 7 wickets

Pakistan 189 for 3 (Misbah 72*, Akmal 77) beat Sri Lanka 188 (Sangakkara 71, Tharanga 57, Cheema 4-43) by six wickets 

Pakistan put one foot in the final of the Asia Cup with a six-wicket win over a tired Sri Lankan outfit, which didn't have enough steam needed to defend a modest 188. Pakistan's bowlers set up the win with a disciplined effort, and Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal compiled positive half-centuries to arrest a top-order wobble. Their final, eagerly anticipated clash with India on Sunday may not carry much context for them if India beat Bangladesh tomorrow, but Sri Lanka's second consecutive defeat makes an India-Pakistan final likely.

The defeat left a few important questions for Sri Lanka to answer after a long, strenuous season away from home, where they have had mixed results. Their shot selection for one, starting from the seniors at the top, has been exposed, leaving plenty for the lower middle-order to do. But with Upul Tharanga scoring another half-century at No.6, it strengthens his case for being resinstated as an opener, meaning that one of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene would have to make way.

The presence of Dilshan and Jayawardene at the top was aimed at giving Sri Lanka off to a strong start in a must-win game. They did so today, but in their quest lost quick wickets. It was an underwhelming performance from a team that bats deep but did not have the application to match their talent.

Jayawardene fell trying to drive past extra cover. Dilshan, despite some crunching drives through the off side, fell off a miscued pull. The wicket was nicely set up by Aizaz Cheema, who peppered him with short deliveries and challenged him to target the on side, with a fielder in the deep. Two more soft dismissals, that of the young duo of Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne, put a lot of pressure on Kumar Sangakkara and Tharanga.

They suffered in the bowling Powerplay, scoring only 11 runs. Their stand of 96 featured several singles, 61 of them, and five boundaries. Tharanga was comfortable against the spinners, picking up boundaries through the off side via deft cuts. Sangakkara, who began with a clipped boundary past midwicket, pounced on a short delivery from Mohammad Hafeez to bring up the fifty stand.

Sri Lanka once again succumbed to a familiar weakness - the batting Powerplay. As it happened against India, they lost their foothold in the first over of the field restrictions. Saeed Ajmal was taken off after the bowling Powerplay but Misbah brought him back at the start of the 36th over. He struck by bowling Tharanga with the doosra, before inducing a poor shot from Farveez Maharoof. Sangakkara tried to force the pace by charging Cheema but ended up dragging the ball onto the stumps. His reaction after being dismissed, swishing the air with his bat, summed up Sri Lanka's problems.

Pakistan picked up the last six wickets for just 27 runs and it was largely due to Sri Lanka's inability to read Ajmal's doosra. Cheema went on to take four wickets while Ajmal took three. It was an especially satisfying display by Cheema, who got a pasting early on but backed himself to bowl fast and attack the batsmen.

A timid start by Pakistan, which included the loss of three wickets, gave Sri Lanka hope of defending a modest 188. Jayawardene, maintaining a stony expression, had plenty to expect from his beefed-up bowling attack, and they responded by trying to make life tough for the top order by bowling tight lines. Some committed ground fielding, especially by Dilshan, and catching lifted the spirits of the bowlers.

Jayawardene stuck to his tactic of constantly shuffling fielders in various close catching positions to create chances. The openers, Nasir Jamshed and Mohammad Hafeez, started watchfully but succumbed to tame dismissals, not very different in character to their counterparts. Jamshed hold out to mid-on before Hafeez scooped the legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna to point.

Younis Khan gifted Suranga Lakmal his second wicket with an exaggerated whip to Farveez Maharoof at mid-on, who timed his dive and caught the ball inches off the ground. At 33 for 3, Sri Lanka were in the game but three boundaries by Akmal off a Lasith Malinga over in the bowling Powerplay - all risk-free - calmed the nerves for Pakistan. Misbah was prepared to wait for the bad deliveries, driving Prasanna past the covers before launching him for a six over long-on.

The calmness of Misbah and exuberance of Akmal combined well to ensure that Pakistan crossed the finish line, even before the 40th over, which gained them the bonus point. Akmal was strong behind square on the on side, sweeping the spinners and paddling them away with the fine leg up. As the target shrunk, Sri Lanka appeared to throw in the towel. The fast bowlers failed to control the scoring, as Pakistan found the gaps with ease during the batting Powerplay.

Sri Lanka have a very slim chance of making the final, provided they beat Bangladesh convincingly, and India lose both their remaining games. A back-door entry, however, wouldn't feel like they've earned it.

India v Sri Lanka, Asia Cup, Mirpur India Beat Srilanka By 50 Runs

India 304 for 3 (Kohli 108, Gambhir 100) beat Sri Lanka 254 (Jayawardene 78, Sangakkara 65, Pathan 4-32) by 50 runs 

The Asia Cup was a chance for India to wipe the slate clean after the horrors of Australia, and they began their campaign by playing to their strengths - batting the opposition out of the game. Centuries by Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli took India to 304, and though the efforts of their bowlers cannot be ignored, crucial wickets were gifted away by Sri Lanka. It was an underwhelming performance by a Sri Lankan batting line-up that stretches till No.9, which in some ways was a spin-off from their performance in the loss in the third CB series final against Australia.

The tweaked batting Powerplay rule - mandatory before the 40th over - was brought about to make captains think more. In many games since its introduction, including this one, it turned out to be the game-changer. Sri Lanka were still well-placed at the end of the 35th over, needing 109 off the last 15 overs with seven wickets in hand. The loss of Kumar Sangakkara off the first ball of the field restrictions was the start of the turnaround for India; they picked up three more wickets for 31 runs in that period. Irfan Pathan picked up four wickets, including Mahela Jayawardene, to give India a fairly comprehensive win in the final analysis, though at one stage it looked a lot closer.

India owed their resurgence to their two most in-form batsmen from Australia - Kohli and Gambhir. One was recently made the vice-captain, the other had the same post taken away from him. Any simmering tension, fictional or not, was barely evident as they added 205 to give India the kind of prolonged authority rarely seen when in Australia.

India managed only two 100-plus stands in the CB Series, that too in the same game, in Hobart. The common thread between the two games was Kohli. This innings wasn't as manic, but the effect was still demoralising for Sri Lanka, who took control at the start of the innings but had to wait an eternity to strike again.

The departure from Australian pitches to friendlier "home" conditions was evident in the way Gambhir dabbed and poked with regularity to third man. The same shot, which had him caught behind so often in Australia, fetched him several singles, thanks to the relatively lower bounce that suited his style.

The pace wasn't electric, but steady. Gambhir and Kohli had to be watchful against packed off-side fields, typical of Jayawardene's captaincy. Short cover and short point were placed to check the cover drive but in due course the pair managed to work their way around those fields, shuffling and nudging it to the on side to pick up the singles.

Gambhir's stint wasn't flawless, though. He was dropped on 36 and survived a run-out opportunity on 94, Dinesh Chandimal the culprit on both occasions. Those lapses overshadowed a more committed display in the field at the start of the innings, when the run-rate was just over four an over.

Apart from the late cuts, Gambhir used his feet well against the spinners, lofting over extra cover and down to the straight boundary. Hitting in the air was a method the batsmen had to employ as several drives along the ground found the fielders. Kohli kept busy at the crease, rotating the strike to ensure India didn't get bogged down against the spinners.

The period between the second and third Powerplays - overs 21 to 35 - produced 87 runs. Only five fours were struck in that period but the pair wore Sri Lanka down with singles - 53 of them - and six twos. Jayawardene went defensive, pushing the fielders back. Kohli ensured he punished the bad deliveries from the spinners and even produced a reverse-sweep, which raced to third man.

Both batsmen reached their centuries in the 42nd over, and their contrasting celebrations were compelling to watch. Kohli controlled his emotions by merely gesturing to his team-mates with a big smile. Gambhir, however, didn't restrain himself as he punched the air, removed his helmet and yelled out something to the dressing-room. His emotional reaction signalled the end of a long wait to reach three-figures.

Both departed in the following over, holing out to the deep. The double-strike - in the 43rd over - didn't give Sri Lanka much respite, as MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina plundered some wayward bowling at the death.

Jayawardene's visually pleasing half-century gave Sri Lanka the platform to beat their previous highest successful chase against India, but his team needed him to stay on longer. His innings was aggression mixed with serenity. He showed his class by his innovativeness, forcing Dhoni to constantly make field changes to plug the gaps during the first 10 overs. That was a moral victory for Jayawardene, seeing his opposing number gesticulating to his fielders despite the cushion of 304 runs.

With a keen eye for where the fielders were placed, Jayawardene picked his spots in style, including a lapped six over fine leg, a delicate late cut and pleasing drives wide of point with little effort.

Tillakaratne Dilshan perished by slapping straight to midwicket, the first of Sri Lanka's giveaways. Sangakkara started pushing the ball into the gaps, even chipping down to loft Ravindra Jadeja over deep midwicket for a six.

Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene were visibly upset with themselves when they got out. When Pathan returned for a new spell, Jayawardene tried to disturb his rhythm by trying to dab one to third man. It resulted in a tame edge to Dhoni and his frustration was palpable. The pressure increased a touch on Sangakkara when Chandimal was bowled giving R Ashwin the charge, and his own attempt at giving his team the momentum in the 36th over caused Sri Lanka's steady fall.

A few clean blows by Nuwan Kulasekara and Farveez Maharoof gave Sri Lanka hope, but they couldn't get on top of Vinay Kumar and Pathan, who bowled with far greater control at the death than their opponents.

Bangladesh vs Pakistan 2nd Test at Mirpur Day4 Cricinfo,Highlights

Bangladesh 338 and 114 for 5 trail Pakistan 470 (Taufeeq 130, Misbah 70, Azhar 57, Akmal 53, Shakib 6-82) by 18 runs

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Shakib Al Hasan became the first Bangladesh player to score a hundred and take a five-for in the same Test, but that wasn't enough to stop Pakistan from taking charge of the second Test in Mirpur. Shakib's importance to the outcome of the match was highlighted by Pakistan's jubilant reaction to his dismissal late in the day - in the exuberance of the celebration, Younis Khan was pushed over by one of his team-mates.

Pakistan's batsmen made unrelenting progress in the first half of the day - Adnan Akmal reached his maiden Test half-century and Misbah-ul-Haq completed his seventh Test fifty of the year to stretch the first-innings lead to a healthy 132. In contrast, the Bangladesh batting's perennial struggle to put up strong performances in both innings of a Test continued, and they slid to 114 for 5 by close.

It was a typical beginning to the innings. Tamim Iqbal started as though it was a Twenty20, cracking five boundaries in his 21 before falling in the final over before tea. It was a dodgy decision as he was ruled out after the ball ricocheted off his helmet to slip. He stood around making his displeasure clear, and pointing to the helmet to indicate where the ball hit him, actions which are likely to earn him a meeting with the match referee.

To make it worse, off the next ball, Umar Gul removed Shahriar Nafees lbw for a golden duck to spark thoughts of a familiar top order collapse. Like the light in Mirpur, Bangladesh's chances also began to fade early.

Gul got the new ball to jag around, and though he couldn't complete the hat-trick after tea, he thoroughly examined the batsmen's technique outside off. Aizaz Cheema wasn't as incisive early on, but returned to take two big wickets - Mahmudullah and Shakib. Both dismissals were due to a long-standing problem with the Bangladesh batting - poor shot selection. Mahmudullah looked to flatbat a delivery that was well outside off, top edging it to deep point and Shakib steered a catch to backward point.

One of the other reasons for the home side's troubles at the Test level is the lack of quality medium-pacers, and they were unimpressive again on the fourth morning. That prompted Mushfiqur Rahim to give marathon spells to the left-arm spin pair of Elias Sunny and Shakib. Sunny bowled through the entire morning session, while Shakib had sent down a 23-over spell by the time Pakistan's innings ended.

Comfortably placed at 292 for 3 overnight, Pakistan were expected to be more adventurous on the fourth morning to set up a declaration, but the dismissal of Younis in the second over of the day led to a more measured approach. Sunny struck in his first over, getting the ball to jump and turn, and Younis nicked it to the wicketkeeper as he looked to defend.

Neither Misbah nor Asad Shafiq are known for an aggressive brand of batting, and there was plenty of caution in their partnership early on. Only three runs were scored in the first seven overs of the day, before Misbah broke free with a couple of boundaries in a Nazmul Hossain over. Shafiq also got going with consecutive fours off Shahadat Hossain, but once Sunny and Shakib started to bowl in tandem, the run flow subsided again.

Misbah, to his credit, attempted to push the tempo with an array of sweeps - delicate paddles from outside off, reverse-sweeps and powerful conventional ones to try and throw the spinners' off their line and length. The partnership swelled past 50, before Shakib finally had reward for his tight bowling - Misbah falling to the sweep, top-edging to slip.

The Bangladesh fielding was again below par: Robiul Islam shelled a simple chance at mid-on, Mahmudullah dropped another at slip and there was another let down at midwicket by Sunny.

Bangladesh's spirits were lifted when Shafiq was given a tight lbw appeal, but Abdur Rehman and Akmal played a series of strokes to take the lead close to 100. Rehman then fell to a catch at slip, and the rest of the tail was mopped up by Shakib.

As if a century to rescue the team from 43 for 4, and then scooping up six wickets wasn't enough, Shakib was expected to prop Bangladesh up with the bat in the second innings as well. He wasn't able to, leaving Bangladesh needing something of a miracle to save the Test on a track where Pakistan's potent spin attack was getting plenty of help.

Bangladesh Vs Pakistan 2nd Test At Mirpur Day3 Live Score,Cricinfo,Highlights

Pakistan 292 for 3 (Taufeeq 130, Azhar 57) trail Bangladesh 338 by 46 runs 

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Sandwiched between the familiar Mirpur problems of morning fog and fading light in the evening, Pakistan gave another demonstration of the batting solidity that has characterised their cricket in 2011. Taufeeq Umar added another century to his already rich haul this year, and aided by several middle-order contributions and butter-fingers from Bangladesh, cut the deficit to 46 runs.

The flamboyance of old may be missing - Pakistan rarely looked interested in pushing the tempo for much of the day - but the safety-first batting has served them well this year. Bangladesh's attack was mostly pedestrian, and it was only with the second new ball that there was a sustained period of hostility.

In the curtailed morning session, Taufeeq and Azhar Ali blunted the bowling as they stretched the partnership beyond 100. The only real chance of a wicket before lunch was when Taufeeq missed a delivery from Shakib Al Hasan that spun down the leg side in the 36th over. Mushfiqur Rahim collected the ball, and was so certain of the caught-behind that he vociferously appealed without bothering to try stumping Taufeeq who had advanced down the track.

The day began with a 11-run over from Shahadat Hossain, but the scoring-rate returned to staid Test match levels after that. It was risk-free batting from both Taufeeq and Azhar, who were supremely patient at most times, but cashed in on the regular poor delivery. Taufeeq was very good on the cut, scoring heavily around point, while many of Azhar's boundaries were off drives, including a classic past extra cover that took him to fifty.

The track was providing little assistance to the quicks, and to make matters worse, in the first over after lunch, Nazimuddin shelled a sitter at gully to reprieve Taufeeq. Luckily for Bangladesh, Shakib got one to spin sharply away, taking Azhar's outside edge on the way to the keeper. Azhar, at ease against pace, wasn't at his most assured against spin, and his dismissal for 57 meant he has only one century despite 12 fifties.

Taufeeq was unperturbed, continuing to grind the bowling even as Younis Khan took his time to settle in. The cut continued to bring in plenty of runs, there was a risky paddle for four off Shakib and an authoritative swat to midwicket off Mahmudullah. The century came up with a slap behind point for four, after which Taufeeq unleashed a bunch of off-side boundaries.

Bangladesh's spirits were sapped further when both Younis and Taufeeq were given lives in the first two overs after tea - Younis put down at deep midwicket by Shahadat Hossain, while Taufeeq offered a tough bat-pad chance that Shahriar Nafees couldn't latch on at short leg.

They didn't have to wait too long for the second new ball, though, and that transformed the attack. Nazmul Hossain was outstanding as he got the ball to seam around, and thoroughly tested Younis' technique outside off before getting Taufeeq to nick to slip.

The batting hadn't exactly been in top gear all innings, and more enterprise was necessary if Pakistan were to aim for a victory. Even as the light faded, Younis and Misbah didn't go into a shell, picking off the boundaries as the quick bowlers overdosed on the short ball. Their partnership raised 47 at a decidedly brisk 3.76 before play was called off with Pakistan closing in on 300. They will need more quick runs on Tuesday if they are to set up a big total that could put the traditionally fragile Bangladesh batting under pressure for the remainder of the Test.

Bangladesh Vs Pakistan 2nd Test At Mirpur Day2 Live Score,Cricinfo,Highlights

Pakistan 87 for 1 (Taufeeq 44*, Azhar 26*) trail Bangladesh 338 (Shakib 144, Shahriar 97) by 251 runs 

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Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim frustrated Pakistan in a truncated morning session, but the visitors levelled the game over the next two sessions. Bangladesh's fragility was once again on display after lunch, as the final five wickets went down for 33 runs after which Pakistan's top order responded strongly.

Until the Bangladesh lower-order collapse in the afternoon, the only impediment to the home side's progress had been the fog in Mirpur, which wiped out an hour's play. Shakib and Mushfiqur crafted a slow-and-steady stand once it cleared, to give the small but vocal crowd something to cheer about on a chilly morning.

Shakib made his highest first-class score and was headed for Bangladesh's record individual Test effort when he was run-out. Mushfiqur took a few quick steps before stopping and sending Shakib back, but a direct hit from Taufeeq Umar, running in from mid-on, was enough to snap the partnership at 82. Shakib walked off, after several glares at his captain over the poor calling.

Whether that had an effect on Mushfiqur is hard to tell, but the very next delivery, he gloved a catch down the leg side to the wicketkeeper which left two new lower-order batsmen at the crease, and Pakistan sniffing a quick end to the innings. Elias Sunny and Shahadat Hossain rode their luck in a brief, entertaining stand - Sunny survived as an Umar Gul delivery kissed off stump without disturbing the bails, and Shahadat was put down by Abdur Rehman at deep midwicket.

The innings ended in a hurry, though, as Saeed Ajmal's doosra proved too much for the tailenders, and a run-out curtailed Nazmul Hossain's first Test knock in seven years to a single delivery.

In contrast, Pakistan had little to celebrate in the morning. There was little movement on offer for the quick bowlers and even with the second new ball Gul and Aizaz Cheema couldn't get any major deviation. With the old ball, Pakistan's dangerous spin pair of Ajmal and Rehman got some turn, but were blunted by Shakib and Mushfiqur.

Shakib hit only one boundary in the first session, and survived several lbw calls and an outside edge that landed short of slip. While he was circumspect, Mushfiqur was more enterprising. There was a powerful swipe over midwicket for six off Ajmal, and he picked up several boundaries with his favoured cut shot. They took Bangladesh past 300 in Tests for only the second time since May 2010, but their back-to-back dismissals restricted the innings to a far lower score than expected.

There was something to buoy the home side as they went in for tea. They removed Mohammad Hafeez, who has had a great run in 2011, including a big century in the previous Test. He had begun ominously, swatting consecutive boundaries in the third over, but nicked Nazmul's first ball in Tests in seven years, to be dismissed for 14.

Bangladesh's bowlers gifted easy runs till late in the final session, when the spinners Shakib and Mahmudullah kept the batsmen in check. There was an early close call for Azhar Ali, who unwisely shouldered arms to a delivery that nipped in from Robiul, narrowly avoiding a supremely confident shout for lbw. He wasn't at his most assured against the spinners either, beaten several times by the big turn Shakib was extracting, and once edging just wide of the slips.

Taufeeq Umar was more confident, initially capitalising on the loose deliveries on offer. There were plenty of cuts and drives as he picked up eight boundaries on his way to 44, before bad light expectedly ended play an hour early. There's still plenty of work to do for the Pakistan batting but with their increasingly reliable middle order, they will fancy their chances of overhauling Bangladesh's total.