DHAKA, June 8: Salman Butt and Mohammad Yousuf cracked brisk half-centuries to help Pakistan post a competitive 233 against Bangladesh in the rain-hit opening match of the triangular one-day series here on Sunday.

Left-handed opener Salman made 70 and the experienced Yousuf 59 as Pakistan were dismissed in 39.3 overs after Bangladesh won the toss and sent their opponents in on a rain-drenched wicket with match reduced to 40 overs a side.

Salman put on 75 for the opening wicket with Kamran Akmal, dominating new-ball bowlers Shahadat Hossain and Mashrafe Mortaza with attractive strokes. He raced to his half-century off just 47 balls.

Debutant seamer Dolar Mahmud provided the breakthrough in the 12th over when he had Kamran (25) caught by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim, who dived to his right to bring off a low catch.

Younis Khan was run out in the next over without facing a ball, but Salman and Yousuf propped up the innings with a 65-run stand for the third wicket.

Salman struck 10 fours in his 84-ball knock and Yousuf seven boundaries in his 56-ball innings. It was Salman’s eighth half-century and Yousuf’s 62nd.

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan vice-captain, then built on the efforts of Salman and Yousuf, smashing two sixes and three fours in a 22-ball 39.

Leg-spinner Alok Kapali, back on international duty after 18 months, dismissed Shahid Afridi (20) and Yousuf in the same over to finish with 3-49, his best figures in 56 One-day Internationals.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak finished with 3-35, including two wickets in the last over of the innings.

India, who are the third team in the fray, play their first match against arch-rivals Pakistan on Tuesday.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Salman Butt c Raqibul b Kapali 70

Kamran Akmal c Mushfiqur b Dolar 25

Younis Khan run out 0

Mohammad Yousuf c Razzak b Kapali 59

Shahid Afridi c Shahriar b Kapali 20

Shoaib Malik b Razzak 9

Misbah-ul-Haq lbw b Mashrafe 39

Fawad Alam c Tamim b Mashrafe 2

Sohail Tanvir c Shahriar b Razzak 2

Umar Gul not out 0

Wahab Riaz lbw b Razzak 0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-6) 7

TOTAL (all out, 39.3 overs) 233

FALL OF WKTS: 1-75, 2-75, 3-140, 4-179, 5-180, 6-227, 7-229, 8-232, 9-233.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 7-0-36-2; Shahadat Hossain 6-0-46-0 (2w); Dolar Mahmud 4-0-27-1; Abdur Razzak 7.3-0-35-3 (1w); Mahmudullah 7-0-39-0 (2w); Alok Kapali 8-0-49-3 (1w).

BANGLADESH: Tamim Iqbal, Shahriar Nafees, Mohammad Ashraful, Raqibul Hasan, Alok Kapali, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Dolar Mahmud.

UMPIRES: Enamul Hoque Moni (Bangladesh) and E.A.R de Silva (Sri Lanka).

TV UMPIRE: A.F.M. Akhtaruddin (Bangladesh).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).—Agencies