18 July 2004	Sunday	29 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

COLOMBO, July 17: Opener Yasir Hameed struck a fluent century as defending champions Pakistan scored a comfortable 76-run win over Bangladesh in the Group 'A' match of the Asia Cup tournament here on Saturday.

The 26-year-old struck 102 off 123 deliveries with the help of 10 fours to help his team set a stiff target of 258 after they elected to bat at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.

In reply, Bangladesh could manage only 181 in 45.2 overs despite a second successive half-century by opener Javed Omar.

Shoaib Akhtar bagged three wickets while other paceman Mohammad Sami and off-spinner Shoaib Malik picked two wickets each.

Yasir started positively and was not afraid to loft the ball over the infield while Inzamamul Haq (59) played some lusty shots during his 66-ball knock in which he hit four fours and two sixes, both off left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique.

Yasir, who was dropped by Mohammad Ashraful at long-off off Khaled Mahmud when on 61, was involved in useful partnerships with captain Inzamam and opener Imran Farhat (28).

"The pitch was good to bat on early in the day but it was hard work thereafter as the ball was not coming on to the bat later," said Yasir after being named man of the match.

Pakistan toyed with the bowling during the 109-run stand for the third wicket between Yasir and Inzamam before both batsmen fell in quick succession.

Inzamam jumped out to left-arm spinner Abdur Razzaq and was stumped by wicket-keeper Khaled Mashud while Yasir holed out to Mushfiqur Rahman at deep mid wicket off seamer Mahmud.

Yasir earlier dominated the opening stand of 86 with Imran, who fell leg-before in trying to sweep Razzaq.

Yousuf Youhana chipped in with an unbeaten 29 off 27 balls to push the team to 257-6.

Bangladesh's reply started on a steady note with Omar putting on 48 runs in just over 10 overs with Ashraful (12) but the team was left looking for more useful partnerships after a twin-strike by Sami.

The paceman had opener Ashraful caught behind with an out-swinger and in the next over trapped captain Habibul Bashar leg-before with one that came in.

Omar, who had scored 68 in his team's facile 116-run win over minnows Hong Kong on Friday, followed it up with another gritty knock.

But he could not pull the team up with his 86-ball 62 during which he had to take the services of Ashraful as a runner after pulling a hamstring.

Ashraful was found short of the crease in a mix-up with Alok Kapali that ended Omar's knock.

The other Bangladesh batsmen failed to come up with notable contributions.

Habibul though felt his team was getting better.

"We have not been batting well in the middle of the innings but have to learn to do that. We are getting closer and hope to start winning soon against good teams," he said.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Yasir Hameed c Mushfiqur b Mahmud 102

Imran Farhat lbw b Razzaq 28

Shoaib Malik run out 3

Inzamamul Haq st Mashud b Razzaq 59

Yousuf Youhana not out 29

Younis Khan b Baisya 19

Abdul Razzaq c and b Rafique 5

Moin Khan not out 3

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-6) 9

TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 257

FALL OF WKTS: 1-86, 2-91, 3-200, 4-200, 5-241, 6-248.

BOWLING: Tapash Baisya 10-0-59-1; Mushfiqur Rahman 10-1-50-0; Abdur Razzaq 10-1-37-2; Khaled Mahmud 10-0-56-1; Mohammad Rafique 10-0-52-1.

BANGLADESH:

Javed Omar run out 62

Mohammad Ashraful c Moin b Sami 12

Habibul Bashar lbw b Sami 2

Rajin Saleh c and b S. Malik 16

Alok Kapali c Yasir b Imran 28

Mushfiqur Rahman lbw b S. Akhtar 2

Khaled Mashud b S. Akhtar 8

Mohammad Rafique c Hameed b Kaneria 18

Khaled Mahmud c A. Razzaq b S. Akhtar 0

Tapash Baisya b S. Malik 11

Abdur Razzaq not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-10, W-6, NB-5) 21

TOTAL (all out, 45.2 overs) 181

FALL OF WKTS: 1-48, 2-52, 3-97, 4-114, 5-118, 6-136, 7-148, 8-150, 9-178.

BOWLING: Shoaib Akhtar 10-1-28-3; Mohammad Sami 8-0-30-2; Abdul Razzaq 6-0-27-0; Danish Kaneria 8.2-1-27-1; Shoaib Malik 10-0-41-2; Imran Farhat 3-0-18-1

UMPIRES: B.G. Jerling (South Africa) and M.G. Silva (Sri Lanka).

TV UMPIRE: A.V. Jayaprakash (India).-AFP