Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 2nd Test, SSC, Colombo, 3rd day

Sri Lanka 70 for 1 (Dilshan 46*, Junaid 1-22) trail Pakistan 551 for 6 dec. (Hafeez 196, Ali 157, Misbah 66*, Herath 3-165) by 481 runs

Afternoon showers on day three put an outright result in serious doubt as only one session could be played out. In that session, Pakistan added 63 to their overnight 488 before declaring. In the next 70 minutes, Sri Lanka were put through a sterner test than the Pakistan openers, but they lost just one wicket.

Pakistan's quicks generated more response from the pitch than their Sri Lankan counterparts, but that didn't translate into too much success as Tillakaratne Dilshan rode his luck. An overnight declaration on 488 was a consideration because of the weather: 45 overs had already been lost on day two, and forecast for the rest of the Test wasn't the brightest either. However, Pakistan went for the scoreboard pressure, and declared only after they reached 550.

Pakistan didn't meander aimlessly, though: Misbah-ul-Haq went at a strike-rate of 82.50, much higher than his ODI career statistic, and Abdur Rehman hit two straight sixes in his 18 off 13. It took Pakistan little under an hour, and 12.4 overs, to score the 63 runs that took them past 550. In the process Misbah reached his 17th half-century, scoring 37 off 40 balls on the third morning. The fields were spread far out so he had to rely more on well-placed ones and twos as opposed to boundaries. Asad Shafiq and Adnan Akmal perished for the cause, but Rehman provided the required thrust with sixes off both spinners. Rangana Herath bowled one over fewer than a whole ODI innings.

Ten minutes later, with runs on board already, Pakistan made a spirited start with the ball. Aizaz Cheema and Junaid Khan bowled faster and hit the seam more often than the Sri Lankan bowlers. As a result, they bowled more threatening deliveries in one spell than Sri Lanka did in the whole innings. Cheema began with a short-of-a-length delivery that reared towards Tharanga Paranavitana's chest. Paranavitana never settled in, and was caught bat-pad to a Junaid delivery that seamed in. This was Paranavitana's seventh duck in his 28th Test, a high rate for a Test opener.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, at the other end, tried every trick in the book to get out, but the pitch and luck smiled on him benevolently. The seam movement in Junaid's first over seemed to have rattled him, and he hoicked at the last ball of that over; the leading edge fell straight of mid-on. Until lunch, Dilshan kept slashing and flashing, twice edging short of the cordon, once bisecting keeper and first slip. In Saeed Ajmal's first over, minutes before lunch, he survived a desperately close lbw shout when he was hit just above the knee roll bang in front and inside the crease. However, nothing stopped the aggressive Dilshan: he followed that lbw shout with two lofted fours, a response not too different to the rest of his innings. By lunch he had raced along to 46 off 54.

Kumar Sangakkara was much more reassuring for Sri Lanka, clipping the first ball he faced for four, and continuing to do so. The only moment of concern at Sangakkara's end arrived when he got a thick inside edge onto his pad, but it was too meaty for Azhar Ali at short leg to react in time.

Under19 Asiacup Thrilling Tie Final

Pakistan Under-19s 282 for 9 (Aslam 134, Kalaria 5-37) tied with India Under-19s 282 for 8 (Chand 121, Aparajith 90, Nawaz 3-45)

For the second time in two matches, there was very little separating India and Pakistan's Under-19 teams, as they tied the final of the Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur in dramatic fashion. Pakistan opener Sami Aslam scored his second hundred of the series to carry his team to 282, before India captain Unmukt Chand did the same for his side. But both centuries went in vain, with neither team claiming the trophy.

Pakistan did well to achieve the tie. India were in relative control in the chase, needing 37 in the final six overs, with seven wickets in hand and Chand batting on 101. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz then produced two effective overs, claiming two wickets and conceding just five, to bring Pakistan back into the game. Chand was still around though and almost carried his bat, but his dismissal off the fourth ball of the final over - caught on the cover boundary off seamer Ehsan Adil - left India needing five off two deliveries. No. 8 Rush Kalaria pierced the off side for four, to bring the scores level. The final delivery, though, he could only chip gently to mid-off. Dot ball. Shared title.

Like in their one-run defeat to Pakistan in the group match, India chose to field. And once again, Pakistan's innings was built around Aslam. India managed to keep the scoring in check early in the innings, but a 100-run stand at over a run a ball between Umar Waheed and Sami Aslam for the third wicket put Pakistan on course for a sizeable total.

Pakistan had launched the final assault, scoring 49 from overs 41 to 45, when Kalaria removed Saad Ali and Aslam off consecutive balls. He took three more wickets, and Pakistan managed only 30 for 5 in the final five.

India's reply revolved around a 175-run stand for the second wicket between Chand and B Aparajith. Aparajith fell 10 short of a hundred, Nawaz's first victim of the game. Apart from these two, none of the other India batsmen managed to go past 23, as the lower-middle order let the game slip from their grasp.

Aslam's century came after scores 82 not out, 121, 47 and 77, and he, expectedly, won the Player of the Series and best batsman awards. Sri Lanka offspinner Tharindu Kaushal, who picked up 12 wickets in four games, was named the best bowler of the tournament.

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.

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.

Pakistan Beat Bangladesh In Asiacup 1st Match

Pakistan manages to pull it off in a thrilling opener

Mohammad Hafeez laid the ghosts of the past month to rest on a warm Sunday night at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium though Bangladesh briefly threatened to upset Pakistan in the Asia Cup's opening match.

During Pakistan's tame show against England in the limited-overs jousts (ODI and Twenty20) at the United Arab Emirates, Hafeez failed in his twin roles of batting and off-spin. In seven games, he tallied 84 runs and got three wickets.

Man of the hour

On a day, when the game alternated between its phases of free-fall and fluid shots, Hafeez's 89 and two wickets, proved crucial and helped Pakistan snatch a 21-run victory over the host while Shakib Al Hasan's resilience (64, 66b, 4x4) offered futile hopes to the local fans. Pakistan scored 262 for eight and bowled out Bangladesh for 241.

Bangladesh was in with a sniff when 68 runs were required in the last ten overs while Shakib and Nasir Hossain seemed at ease. Nasir clattered a six off Saeed Ajmal and when Umar Gul angled a delivery in to his ribs, the riposte was a whip down fine-leg.

Delicate strokes

Meanwhile Shakib in his calm ways, exhaled with delicate strokes against Ajmal and Aizaz Cheema. The script changed when Gul cleaned up Nasir in the 44th over and the tail proved inept against Ajmal.

The pursuit had commenced when Misbah-ul-Haq's gambit of opening his attack with Hafeez and Gul failed to unsettle the Bangladesh openers Tamim Iqbal (64, 89b, 6x4, 1x6) and Mohammad Nazimuddin.

Tamim looked at ease despite the dilly-dallying over his inclusion in the squad ahead of the tournament. He cut Hafeez while Nazimuddin flicked Gul for a six over backward square-leg.

Nazimuddin however perished with a hoick against Cheema but Tamim continued unhindered. Ajmal was greeted with a six and later when Gul returned for the second spell, a cover drive was essayed with finesse.

The fifty was registered but his exaggerated celebration triggered the fear that he may be satiated with the effort while Bangladesh still needed to score at six an over.

The apprehensions were not unfounded as he tried to cut Hafeez when the delivery hardly offered width.

In between the hope and pathos of Tamim's knock, Shahid Afridi had rattled the timber twice with Jahurul Islam and Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim being the befuddled victims.

Tightening its hold

Pakistan tightened its hold when Hafeez immediately prised out Mahmudullah and though the visitor's grip slackened when Shakib threaded his runs, hierarchy was eventually restored.

Earlier, Pakistan frittered away the fine start crafted by openers Hafeez (89, 126b, 7x4) and Nasir Jamshed (54, 64b, 5x4, 1x6) before Gul lashed crucial runs in the slog.

After Mushfiqur opted to field, Hafeez and Nasir bided their time in the first ten overs that yielded 36.

However signs of comfort were visible in the way Hafeez leant in to his drives and Nasir picked his spots in the on-side against the seamers.

Hafeez did struggle when his penchant to lunge forward proved cumbersome against Shakib. An inner edge off the left-arm spinner narrowly missed the stumps but Hafeez hung in and swatted Abdur Razzak while Nasir carved Shakib for a six.

Big stand

The openers added 135 runs over 167 deliveries and then Pakistan suffered its first breach. Hafeez pushed Razzak to point and Nasir hustled him into a precarious single.

Shakib's throw left Nasir stranded and that led to a strange passage of play in which Misbah's men lost their heads with poor shot-selection.

Younis Khan closed the bat face a touch too early against Shahadat Hossain and spooned a catch.

And from 162 for two in 32.5 overs, Pakistan began to implode. Shahadat Hossain banged it short, Hafeez miscued a pull and similar across-the-line shots marred the innings.

The batting Power Play (overs 36 to 40) undid the visitor with 22 runs coming at a cost of three wickets and overall Pakistan lost six batsmen while moving from 162 to 198.

Asad Shafiq pulled without conviction, Umar Akmal perished with the slog-sweep, Shahid Afridi lobbed his first delivery back to a juggling Shakib and Misbah misread Razzak.

Gul (39) then stepped in with his hefty strikes against Mortaza, who finally scalped his tormentor. In the end, Gul's effort proved equally critical for Pakistan.

Scoreboard:

Pakistan: Md. Hafeez c Shafiq b Shahadat 89 (126b, 7x4), N. Jamshed (run out) 54 (64b, 5x4, 1x6), Younis c Razzak b Shahadat 12 (15b, 1x4), U. Akmal c Razzak b Shakib 21 (20b, 2x4), A. Shafiq c Mortaza b Shahadat 4 (6b), Misbah b Razzak 8 (13b), S. Afridi c & b Shakib 0 (1b), Sarfraz (not out) 19 (28b), U. Gul b Mortaza 39 (25b, 5x4, 1x6), S. Ajmal (not out) 8 (3b, 1x4); Extras (lb-2, w-5, nb-1): 8; Total (for eight wkts. in 50 overs): 262.

Power Plays: One (Overs 1-10): 36/0; Bowling (16-20): 37/0; Batting (36-40): 22/3.

Fall of wickets: 1-135 (Jamshed), 2-162 (Younis), 3-169 (Hafeez), 4-175 (Shafiq), 5-192 (Akmal), 6-193 (Afridi), 7-198 (Misbah), 8-251 (Gul).

Bangladesh bowling: Mortaza 10-0-55-1, Shafiul 8-0-49-0, Shakib 10-0-41-2, Shahadat 8-0-53-3, Razzak 10-0-43-1, Mahmudullah 4-0-19-0.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal b Hafeez 64 (89b, 6x4, 1x6), Md. Nazimuddin c Gul b Cheema 30 (33b, 4x4, 1x6), Jahurul Islam b Afridi 23 (31b, 3x4), M. Rahim b Afridi 3 (5b), Shakib b Gul 64 (66b, 4x4), Mahmudullah lbw b Hafeez 0 (1b), Nasir b Gul 47 (49b, 3x4, 1x6), A. Razzak b Ajmal 1 (3b), M. Mortaza b Ajmal 1 (3b), Shafiul Islam lbw b Gul 1 (2b), Shahadat (not out) 0 (7b); Extras (lb-2, w-5): 7; Total (in 48.1 overs): 241.

Power Plays: One (Overs 1-10): 43/0; Bowling (16-20): 22/0; Batting (36-40): 36/0.

Fall of wickets: 1-45 (Nazimuddin), 2-90 (Jahurul), 3-100 (Rahim), 4-135 (Tamim), 5-135 (Mahmudullah), 6-224 (Nasir), 7-228 (Razzak), 8-230 (Mortaza), 9-235 (Shafiul).

Pakistan bowling: Hafeez 10-1-40-2, Gul 9.1-0-58-3, Ajmal 10-0-45-2, Cheema 9-0-47-1, Afridi 10-0-49-2.

Man-of-the-match: Mohd. Hafeez.

England Vs Pakistan 1st ODI,Cricinfo,Abu Dhabi

Pakistan v England, 1st ODI, Abu Dhabi

25 overs England 113 for 2 (Cook 66, Bopara 25 ) v Pakistan

Shahid Afridi wasted little time in advancing his credentials as the best one-day spinner in world cricket during the opening ODI in Abu Dhabi as England's trials continued against the turning ball. England stuttered at their first sight of him as Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott fell in successive balls in his second over. Spin will remain a centrepiece of the remaining one-day matches to come.

What had changed was the identity of the England captain. Andrew Strauss had departed and Alastair Cook was in charge, a one-day captain whose ability in the limited-overs game is hotly debated. He did his reputation no harm, reaching the mid-point unbeaten on 66 as England moved to 113 for 2. With anything above 250 appearing competitive, Cook was keeping England in the match.

Ravi Bopara brought up the fifty partnership off 72 balls just before midway with two successive off-side drives against overpitched deliveries from the left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz, an indication of the sedate nature of the surface once the spinners took a back seat.

Afridi must have watched England's distress against spin during Pakistan's 3-0 victory in the Test series and licked his lips at the fun to come in the one-day internationals. He was not to be disappointed. After bamboozling Pietersen and Trott with a legspinner and googly respectively, he should also have quickly followed up with Bopara, who had made only 2 when he tried to cut a straight one and was reprieved presumably because the umpire, Ahsan Rana, imagined in inside edge.

Afridi had warmed up with five wickets against Afghanistan while England were attempting to restore morale with victory against England Lions. A quicker, turning legspinner ended Pietersen's skittish innings on 14 and Trott groped forward to a googly and was comprehensively bowled through the gate.

Pietersen was at the top of the order for the fifth time in an ODI but there was no escape from the spinners; Pakistan had picked four of them and Mohammad Hafeez took the new ball. A characteristically risky single to get off the mark might have seen Pietersen run out if Imran Farhat had not fumbled at mid-on and even his one shot of authority, a legside whip against Umar Gul looked too manufactured for comfort, as if he had added a frill or two to disguise the poor quality of the cloth.

His troubled innings also included two let-offs from DRS when he was on 2. Hafeez drifted one away to hit his back leg but Pakistan wasted their review as the ball was shown to have struck Pietersen outside the line. Then Pietersen overturned umpire Rana's decision when he wandered across his stumps to one that Gul cut back and escaped when Hawk-Eye suggested the ball was too high. Pietersen's incredulous expression as he called for a review summed up his desperate state of mind. Never has a man formally tapped the top of his bat with such a BAFTA-winning performance.

Cook needed a reprieve himself, on 30, when Simon Taufel's decision that Hafeez had dismissed him lbw was overturned because of a big inside edge. He reviewed in a quiet, matter-of-fact manner, lacking Pietersen's penchant for the stage. His slog sweep against Afridi to reach his half-century was England's most confident moment against the spinners.

England, who chose to bat after winning the toss, brought in Bopara, Samit Patel and Steven Finn. Tim Bresnan and Jos Buttler were both ruled out on fitness grounds. Pakistan kept the same eleven that beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in Sharjah on Friday.

Pakistan Get Test Series 3-0 By England

Pakistan 99 (Broad 4-36) and 365 (Azhar 157, Panesar 5-124) beat England 141 (Strauss 56, Rehman 5-40) and 252 (Prior 49*, Gul 4-61, Ajmal 4-67) by 71 runs 

Pakistan duly completed their first clean sweep against England in a Test series, an extraordinary achievement for a side with no home to call its own, a side that lives out of a suitcase and does it rather well. Along with the socks and the toothpaste they certainly unpacked quite a shock for the No. 1 ranked side.

Twice in a few months, the leading Test side in the world has been found wanting. India were whitewashed in England last summer and now England have suffered a similar humiliation. Test cricket in Asia, described by England's captain, Andrew Strauss, as "the final frontier," has proved as unconquerable as ever.

The sunny disposition of Saeed Ajmal, the Man of the Series, and the stiff-limbed tenacity of Abdur Rehman tormented England to the end. They shared 43 wickets between them in a three-Test series and England barely played a shot in anger. Even after dismissing Pakistan for 99 in their first innings, they could not summon either the method or confidence to prevail. Only when the game was as good as lost did Matt Prior, who has looked likelier than most throughout the series, play with gusto in making an unbeaten 49.

There was plentiful spin for Pakistan's spinners, not quick turn but leaping turn at times when the ball struck the rough. Fittingly, the match finished on an lbw referral as Monty Panesar swept at Rehman, only to find that his retro scoop bat had no magical qualities. DRS upheld the umpire's decision and the all-time record of 43 lbw decisions in a series was equalled.

Until then, Rehman had counted Strauss as his sole success as he bowled unchanged for two sessions, 30 overs sent down with unerring accuracy. He is the sort of spin bowler who looks slightly weary from the outset, but never noticeably tires after that.

The emphasis has been upon spin, but Umar Gul reminded England that the quicker bowlers carried their own threat. His four wickets set the course of the Test unquestionably towards Pakistan. Ian Bell averaged more than 100 last summer, less than 10 in this series and when he slapped a long hop wide of point it summed up his state of mind. Reverse swing accounted for Eoin Morgan, whose dance down the pitch was nothing compared to the merry jig from the wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal, after he had caught it. If Pakistan had doubts about taking the new ball, Gul allayed them as Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann risked all-out attack and got out almost immediately.

Cook had put up statuesque resistance, 187 balls for 49. Along the way he became the second youngest person, at 27 years and 43 days, to reach 6,000 Test runs. Only Sachin Tendulkar has reached the landmark at a younger age. His most attacking shot of the morning, a loft into the leg side against Rehman, caused the bowler to taunt him with applause. He lived on scraps, combating the turning ball with thoughtful defence and numerous works to the leg side and that proved his undoing as a leading edge was brilliantly held by Younis Khan, diving to his left at first slip.

England, 36 runs banked the previous evening, needed a further 288 at start of play. Strauss fell in the sixth over of the morning, lbw on the back foot once more. He reviewed it, although he would have been better advised to head smartly for the dressing room. When it comes to captain's reviews Strauss cannot match Misbah-ul-Haq. Misbah was lbw on five occasions in this series and took a review every time. It must be a captain's prerogative.

Without lapses in the field, Pakistan might have won sooner. They had dropped Cook the previous evening, a relatively simple chance to Taufeeq Umar at third slip and Gul's drop in the shadows of the stand at deep square gave him another reprieve as Pakistan lost the efficiency that has characterised their cricket throughout this series. Rehman made his frustration clear when he caught Jonathan Trott at deep square and flung the ball into the turf with feeling at the errors that had gone before.

Kevin Pietersen was bent upon playing enterprisingly. The first ball of the afternoon provided a reminder of his vulnerability when a bat-pad against Rehman flew high past short leg, but he had the fleeting satisfaction of striking him straight for six before Ajmal, from around the wicket, spun one through the gate and beamed at further bounty.

Adnan Akmal's fumble behind the stumps to reprieve Strauss, although not costly as the England captain was out in the next over, was the worst miss of all. Adnan has had a good series behind the stumps and has the opportunity to be Pakistan's first-choice keeper for many years to come but his excitable chatter was at times counterproductive. Strauss' edge flew to him at comfortable height but he put it down. For a few minutes he was quiet and you could hear your ears ringing.

Adnan's cacophony of cries often rent the air for inexplicable reasons. As do parrots, Adnan vocalises for many reasons. He may be excitedly greeting the day or summoning his family at sunset. He may be screeching when he is excited or when he is merely trying it on. He may screech when he thinks things have got too quiet or when he thinks it is his duty to scream. He just likes screeching. At one point he burst out coughing as if in sore need of a lozenge and Trott looked at him in deadpan fashion.

Adnan is also incorrigibly optimistic about reviewing umpiring decisions. "Do it, do it, yes, yes, all good," you could sense him saying from first moment to last. Misbah learned not to take his evidence into consideration and looked askance at him. He will not be looking askance tonight - every Pakistan player will share Adnan's excitement.

Pakistan v England, 3rd Test, Dubai, Day1,Cricinfo

Pakistan 99

England 87/4 (32.3 ov)

England's batting has been so ineffably weak in this Test series that even the sight of a Pakistan side bundled out for 99 was not about to fill them with resolve. They were not short of alarms themselves, losing Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott in eight overs by tea that again left them stricken by self doubt.

Memories of England's batting debacles as they lost the first two Tests must have preyed on Cook's mind as he fell to the sort of hesitant jab against Umar Gul that Australia, in England's victorious Ashes series barely a year ago, must have dreamed of. Gul also had Trott lbw, a dodgy decision by the umpire, Steve Davis, that England failed to review.

A Test series that had promised more attritional cricket on unresponsive pitches once again threw up an unexpected twist. Broad and James Anderson produced spritely, persistent new-ball spells and England took drinks at 21 for 5, the series lost but respect partially recovered. Then again, they have not batted against Saeed Ajmal yet.

There was a little swing and some unexpected bounce. This was far from a fast bowlers' feast but Broad and Anderson maintained fullish lengths and Pakistan's top order, which has escaped criticism only because of England's more theatrical vulnerability, was again found wanting. This has not been an impressive series for batsmen.

Broad's new-ball return of 3 for 12 in six overs included two overturned decisions for the Australian umpire Simon Taufel as England successfully resorted to DRS. There was little argument about the first as Azhar Ali's inside edge, and catch by the wicketkeeper Matt Prior moving to his left, was confirmed by hot spot, but the dismissal of Mohammad Hafeez was more controversial.

England were searching for a wicketkeeper's catch but there seemed to be little conclusive evidence to overturn Taufel's decision. Those blessed with the eyes of a hawk and high-definition TVs also spotted a slight mark on hot spot that should have reprieved Hafeez. Shavir Tarapore, the third umpire from India in his fourth Test, gave him out, causing Hafeez to walk to the dressing room slapping his bat in unconcealed disgust.

In the seconds a fielding side has to decide on a review, the captain, Andrew Strauss, mentally dons a business suit, calls a management meeting, studies a report, draws conclusions and lays out a systematic process. The sense is of clipboards, posh pens and PowerPoint presentations. He can barely score a run or hold a slip catch but in terms of managerial qualities he is exceptional.

In England in 2010, Pakistan collapsed for 72, 76 and 80, three batting disasters at Edgbaston, Lord's and Trent Bridge that count among their eight lowest Test scores in history. They no longer had to contend with a surly English summer but they did face the debilitating effect of a series already secured.

Their collapse began in the first over, Taufeeq Umar defeated by Anderson's inswinger. There were few demons in the ball from Broad that dismissed Azhar and Younis Khan's jab at a wide, rising ball, even allowing for the unexpected steepness of the bounce: another poor shot in a career nearing its end.

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan's captain, by now had donned his undertaker's expression and he was unable to stem the flow of England wickets. He opted for a review after Anderson rattled a full delivery into his pads but the decision of umpire Steve Davis was upheld.

Adnan Akmal's recourse to DRS after Broad won an lbw decision had an air of desperation and wasted Pakistan's second review. Adnan should also have been run out when he pushed Anderson into the offside and was drawn into a single he never fancied. But Eoin Morgan, who had been preferred to Ravi Bopara in an unchanged England XI, missed the stumps with an overarm throw.

Abdur Rehman's slog at Graeme Swann, in his solitary over, was the worst shot of the morning. Kevin Pietersen following his uncertain catch as he pedalled back at mid-off with a treatise about how the ball had come out of the largest sun you ever did see.

For Pakistan the morning brought back bad memories of their first Test in the UAE. Against Australia in Sharjah ten years ago they were dismissed for 53 and 59 - Pakistan's two lowest Test scores. Misbah, Taufeeq and Younis were all in the top six then. In some ways little has changed in Pakistan cricket. In other, more significant ways, everything has changed.

Pakistan Win 2nd Test,Lead 2-0

                                            A victory fashioned by the unsung

It is surprising how even seasoned observers of the game keep underestimating the potential of the fourth innings for psycho-drama. A stentorian voice announces that a target of 145 could not possibly trouble the world's best side. Another concurs, noting that 145 would be a routine ask in a T20; the chasing team would hardly bat an eyelid. There are some rebuttals but they are muted. You can't compare the two, someone mutters under his breath, explaining that in Tests there are neither field restrictions nor a limit on the number of overs per bowler. But most of all there is the unique psychology.

As compellingly demonstrated by Pakistan's victory in Abu Dhabi, going down the order in a fourth-innings chase is like plumbing the depths of the ocean. Pressure mounts exponentially, and it gets dark very soon. Low-to-medium targets are the hardest, because they tempt you like a mirage, until you fall, thirsty and desperate, grabbing at nothing.

If you want precedents, you could go all the way back to The Oval in 1882, when England failed to chase 85. Granted that was another era, with a different culture and playing conditions, but it happens to be the match that gave birth to the Ashes, and so casts a very long shadow. Since then there have been 13 other occasions when England have failed to chase a target of under 200.

Pakistan's name now shows up three times as the opponent on this list. In 1954 they prevented England from chasing 168 at The Oval. That, too, may have been another era, but it stands out in Pakistan's cricket annals as their most important victory. The second was in November 2005, in Multan, during England's last tour to Pakistan, when England were set 198 and dismissed 22 short.

There are certain similarities between that match and now, although there is also a vital difference. That England side too was basking in fresh Ashes glory, and comprised a star-studded touring party, with names like Flintoff, Pietersen, Strauss, Bell, Collingwood, and Harmison. Yet Pakistan's 2-0 win never drew much international traction. Now England are top dog, which in a sense imprisons them. Now all contests and all playing conditions assume equal significance, be it the manicured turf of a teeming English ground under heavy cloud cover, or an outpost in the desert, whose empty stands are baking under the sun. When you are the frontrunner, it doesn't matter how or where you get knocked off your perch.

Pakistan's gains from this victory are plenty. Most heartening is that the win was not fashioned by the usual suspects but by unsung honest triers who have mostly been labouring in the shadows. The match turned in the second innings, when Asad Shafiq joinedAzhar Ali after Pakistan had lost four wickets without yet having erased England's lead. The stuffing had been knocked out of Pakistan's batting line-up, with both openers as well as Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, the two middle-order mainstays, gone. Shafiq and Azhar rode their luck, as you have to in these situations, but they stuck it out. Their partnership of 88 proved the key difference, being modestly in excess of England's eventual margin of defeat.

The bowling hero, too, was unexpected. With left-arm orthodox spin ruling this match, Monty Panesar andAbdur Rehman usurped the arena that general consensus had already ceded to Graeme Swann and Saeed Ajmal. Panesar and Rehman's six-fors in the second innings were both almost equally crucial.

The distinction was that Rehman's batsmen had given him enough runs to bowl at. Rehman made his international debut over half a decade ago, but has played only 14 Tests and 21 ODIs. Abu Dhabi is his first five-wicket haul, and only his second Man-of-the-Match award. He has been an undervalued player, never really seen as a match-winner, but those deliveries that kicked and spat out from the rough are going to change that.

Pakistan now find themselves in the rare position of being within striking distance of a clean sweep. Having come so far so quickly, and from rock bottom, carries an overpowering significance. Criticisms of Misbah'sslow and steady approach should now be history, as should be any attempt to remove Mohsin Khan as the head coach, if the PCB has any sense. This series win has allowed us to better understand both men and their contributions. Misbah is the CEO, and Mohsin is the supportive and watchful chairman, standing steadfastly behind him. What they are doing together is not merely working, it is working wonders.

From here on, the challenge for Pakistan's cricket establishment is to create propitious circumstances that can help sustain such dramatic ascendancy. Far too often myopic administrators in Pakistan have unnecessarily fiddled with winning formulas, to the national side's unfortunate detriment. This Pakistan outfit is carving out a path in the sky. All that the PCB bosses need to do right now is to get out of the way. You really couldn't ask for a better deal.

England Vs Pakistan 2nd Test At AbuDhabi Day3 Cricinfo

Pakistan 257 and 125 for 4 (Azhar 46*, Shafiq 35*) lead England 327 (Cook 94, Trott 74, Broad 58*, Ajmal 4-108) by 55 runs

For the first time in their notional home series, Pakistan had a crowd to strengthen their resolve. They came in their thousands after Friday prayers and sat on the grassy banks at the Sheikh Zayed stadium. What they witnessed was Test cricket at its most attritional but they also witnessed a clue to Pakistan's batting future.

Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq came together at 54 for 4 with Pakistan still 16 runs in arrears and England's bowlers coming to terms with the rigours of playing Test cricket in Asia. It is a rare sight to see England with two spinners bowling to an attacking ring. With Pakistan faltering, they were even beginning to think they might like it.

This time Azhar and Shafiq did not have Misbah-ul-Haq at the non-striker's end learnedly chiding them to be patient but they were patient all the same. They ground out 71 at barely two an over and when the third day closed they had drawn the fire from England's attack. Shafiq treated Pakistan's supporters to two successive boundaries off Monty Panesar, Azhar offered a couple of serene drives and a skip down the pitch to loft Graeme Swann over long-on but it was stern-minded stuff.

Their response was essential. Much was made of England's flimsy top-order batting during their 10-wicket defeat in Dubai; Pakistan's looked just as brittle. Panesar and Swann have not been as magical as Saeed Ajmal, nor have they turned the ball as sharply as Abdur Rehman, but in their first Test together for two-and-a-half years they laid down a challenge.

Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar fell to nothing more substantial than artfully-pitched straight balls; a substantial sandstorm could blow through the gap between Taufeeq's bat and pad. Younis Khan got a beauty from Panesar which turned to uproot his off stump. Then the old fox, Misbah, fell: a third wicket for Panesar. Misbah looked for a reprieve on DRS but the dispassionate conclusion had to be that the third umpire, Billy Bowden, was right to conclude that the ball had hit pad before bat.

The growing quality of pitches in the UAE has contributed to two engrossing Tests. It was widely anticipated that this could be a tedious series on unresponsive pitches. Instead, there has been enough life for bowlers to relish an even contest. For those watching from England, whichever side they have been rooting for, it has been well worth an early alarm call.

Smart stats Sixteen batsmen were dismissed bowled or lbw in the first innings of both teams, which equals the record for the first two innings of a Test. The record for an entire Test is 26, in last year's game between West Indies and Pakistan in Providence. Saeed Ajmal is playing his 19th Test, and has taken 97 wickets at 27.92. After 19 matches, Graeme Swann had taken 85 wickets at 30.84. Of the 25 Test wickets that Mohammad Hafeez has taken, 20 have been of left-hand batsmen. He averages 21.30 for each of those wickets; against right-handers he averages 91.20. Stuart Broad's batting average at Nos.8 and 9 is 30.43. With a cut-off of 40 innings at those two positions, onlyfour batsmen have done better in Test history.

But the main benefits have come from the advent of DRS. Technology is rapidly making defensive pad play a thing of the past as umpires grant lbw decisions where once they would have looked askance. The game is different now: livelier, more combative and eminently more watchable. The downside is that lbw decisions are at an all-time high but with the future of Test cricket in such doubt, technology has provided a timely shot in the arm.

That England were able to put the squeeze on Pakistan owed everything to Stuart Broad, whose enterprising, unbeaten, 58 from 62 balls gave them a 70-run first-innings lead. England made 116 runs in the morning session at a rate of nearly 4.5 runs an over as Broad poured his frustration with England's careworn batting in the series into every shot. He had made some mildly provocative remarks about his England batting colleagues after Pakistan had been bowled out for 257, remarking on Twitter that it would make no difference if the batsmen did not frame themselves.

When Ajmal had broken England's dominance with three quick wickets on the second evening, frustration had been etched into Broad's face as he watched from the boundary edge. At such times there is something endearing about his unabashed desire to win a cricket match.

He batted like a man on a mission. If it was up there he would hit it, old ball and new. He needed good fortune on 33 when he survived the narrowest of run out decisions by the third umpire Bowden. Azhar pounced on the ball from cover and threw down the stumps as Broad chanced a single off Junaid Khan. As he dived for the crease it was debatable whether his bat was grounded. But he brought up England's 300 by slog-sweeping Abdur Rehman's left-arm spin for six into the Knocking Area - a sanctuary perhaps for the England batsmen he had previously chided.

The old ball was 84.5 overs old at start of play but Misbah entrusted the task of dismantling England's lower order to his spinners. Matt Prior was intent on playing them off the back foot whenever possible but Ajmal had his measure. He was badly dropped at deep square-leg by Junaid and then spared from an lbw decision by the tiniest inside edge. By the time Ajmal had him lbw on the back foot, a decision upheld after an England review, it was apparent he needed to be put out of his misery.

Ian Bell was also dropped, a rasping return catch to Rehman which flew through his hands for four, and was also beaten several times by Rehman's sharp turn. His tremors against Ajmal's doosra were less apparent but he fell to Gul and the second new ball, England failing with DRS for the second time.

Pakistan finally parcelled up England's innings one over into the afternoon as Hafeez, an increasingly redoubtable all-round cricketer, took two wickets in three balls. Panesar, whose last Test innings had been a heroic rearguard action against Australia in Cardiff, this time managed a more prosaic second-ball duck. Panesar, lbw, signalled that he had hit it, but England had omitted to save a review for him.