India vs Bangladesh Second Test at Mirpur
India Bangladesh Second Test: Zaheer Khan leads India to big win over Bangladesh
May 27, 2007
Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan grabbed a match haul of seven wickets as India thumped Bangladesh by an innings and 239 runs with two days to spare in the second and final Test in Dhaka on Sunday.
Bangladesh, who were forced to follow on 492 runs behind after being shot out for 118 in their first innings, were dismissed for 253 in their second knock just before stumps on the third day. Rahul Dravid's men won the series 1-0 following a draw in the rain-hit first Test in Chittagong and provided a birthday gift for interim coach Ravi Shastri, who turned 45 on Sunday.
Bangladesh's outgoing coach Dav Whatmore was not so lucky, ending his four-year tenure with them with the team's 40th defeat in 46 Test matches so far. Bangladesh have won just one Test, while five were drawn.
Zaheer, who claimed 5-34 in the first innings, rattled Bangladesh with the first two wickets on either side of the lunch break at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The hosts were reduced to 10-3 soon after lunch before 22-year-old Mohammad Ashraful boosted the total with a breathtaking counter-attack that fetched him 67 off 41 balls.
Ashraful raced to 50 off just 26 deliveries, narrowly missing South African Jacques Kallis' world record of the fastest half-century in Test cricket in 24 balls against Zimbabwe in 2004. Ashraful smashed 12 boundaries and two sixes with a flurry of drives, pulls and lofted shots that drew wild cheers from the 10,000 home fans who braved the hot and humid weather.
Bangladesh slipped to 154-7 before tailender Mashrafe Mortaza delayed the end with a stroke-filled 70 off 68 balls that contained eight fours and three sixes. Rajin Saleh (42) was the only other home batsman to offer resistence against the Indian spinners, for whom Romesh Powar picked up 3-33 and Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar took two wickets each.
Zaheer, who had taken three wickets the previous evening after India rattled up 610-3 declared, struck with the day's second delivery when Bangladesh started at 58-5. Zaheer trapped Saqibul Hasan leg-before before the left-hander could add to his overnight score of 30.
Debutant seamer Ishant Sharma picked up his first Test wicket as Mortaza slashed a short ball into Kumble's safe hands at gully to reduce Bangladesh to 93-8. Zaheer completed his fourth five-wicket haul when he bowled Mohammad Rafique, before Kumble terminated the innings by making Mashud (25) edge a catch to wicket-keeper Mahendra Dhoni.
When Bangladesh began their second innings just before lunch, Zaheer dismissed opener Javed Omar for a first-ball duck for the second time in the match. Omar, who was held in the slips in the first innings, was unlucky to be given out caught by the wicket-keeper down the leg side as television replays showed the bat did not deflect the ball. The first Test in Chittagong was drawn after rain washed out 15 of the scheduled 30 hours of play.
India also won the preceding one-day series 2-0 to make amends for their shock World Cup defeat at Bangladesh's hands.
Second Test, Dhaka, day three: India 610-3d beat Bangladesh 118 & 253 by an innings and 239 runs
India Bangladesh Second Test: Bangladesh 58 for 5 at stumps on day two
May 26, 2007
Bangladesh were 58 for the loss of five wickets against India at the end of Day 2 of second and the final Test at Mirpur. Shakib al Hasan and Mohammad Sharif were on the crease with the score of 30 and 0 respectively. Bangladesh batsmen were left downtrodden as they lost 4 wickets in first 3 overs.
Indian bowlers Zaheer Khan and Rudra Pratap Singh provided the vital breakthroughs in the initial overs. Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket as Anil Kumble outsmarted Rajin Saleh. Saleh and Shakib al Hasan temporarily stabilised Bangladeshi innings with a partnership of 33 runs.
India declared their first innings at 610 for 3 with four of its top batsmen slamming individual centuries in their second Test match against Bangladesh. This feat was achieved for the first time in cricket history. The four centuries were that of Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Kaarthick, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.
Tendulkar slammed his 37th Test century. With this century Tendulkar widened the gap between him and Ricky Ponting who has 33 centuries in his kitty. Tendulkar century came in 200 balls.
Both Mahendra Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar were on the crease when India declared their first innings. Dhoni provided some fireworks in the end as he made a prolific half century off 50 balls.
Second Test, Dhaka, day two (close): India 610 for 3 dec v Bangladesh 58 for 5
India Bangladesh Second Test: India finish at 326 for 0
May 25, 2007
The Indians went on to stamp their authority on the Bangladeshi bowlers as they went on to post a mammoth score of 326 without losing a single wicket during the entire days play. Wasim Jaffer was the star of the day scoring 138 runs in 229 balls.
Wasim Jaffer hammered a gutsy century to bring India into a comfortable position against Bangladesh. Jaffers century came in 185 balls. Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik was retired hurt after he suffered a cramp. Karthik was on 82 when he had to return back to the pavilion. Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik laid a sound foundation for India, with a rollicking first wicket stand as the visitors cantered to 175 for no loss at tea on the opening day of the second cricket Test against Bangaldesh here today. Reported Earlier:Habibul Bashar has won the toss and has put India to bat first. Bangladeshi skipper is confident of having a good game in the last Test against India at Sher-e Bangla stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
India would look to brush aside the minor concern about opener Wasim Jaffer's form and finish off their Bangladesh tour with a flourish by clinching the Test series with a victory in the second and last match beginning on Friday at Mirpur. Bangladesh team: Javed Omar, Shahriar Nafees, Habibul Bashar, Saqibul Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful, Rajin Saleh, Mashrafe Mortaza, Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Mohammad Sharif, Syed Rasel India team: W Jaffer, K D Karthik, R Dravid, S R Tendulkar, S C Ganguly, M S Dhoni, R R Powar, Z Khan, A Kumble, R P Singh, I Sharma
Second Test, Dhaka, day one (close): India 326-0 v Bangladesh
India Bangladesh Second Test: India get Kumble boost for final cricket Test
May 25, 2007
India's bowling spearhead Anil Kumble is fit to torment Bangladesh as the tourists seek a series win when the second and final Test starts on Friday.
The 36-year-old, India's most successful bowler in both forms of the game with 547 Test and 337 one-day wickets, did not bat or bowl in the rain-savaged first Test in Chittagong due to fever. India lean heavily on the veteran for wickets and in his absence the other bowlers allowed Bangladesh's ninth-wicket pair of Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain to put on 77 and save the follow-on, and with it the Test.
"Anil is a proven match-winner in any conditions," said Indian captain Rahul Dravid ahead of the decider at the Sher-e-Bangla national stadium, a new Test venue. Both teams were praying for a rain-free match after bad weather in the port city of Chittagong wiped out 15 of the stipulated 30 hours of play in the drawn game. "It is very frustrating when you lose half the match to rain," said Dravid. "There is little one can do about the weather but I just hope we get some good cricket in."
The teams will not be spared the stifling hot and humid weather, which they have endured for the entire three-week tour, but can rely on good drainage facilities at the venue in case of rain. "This ground dries up much faster than at Chittagong," said Bangladesh captain Habibur Bashar. "There is some forecast of rain but I think we can have a full game." Bangladesh hope to put on a sterling display as a farewell gift for coach Dav Whatmore, who ends his four-year tenure with them after this match and is a leading candidate to sign up with India.
The Indian cricket board is due to meet on June 4 to pick a successor to Greg Chappell, the former Australian captain who quit as India's coach after the World Cup. "The boys are very encouraged and motivated to do well in this match," said Bashar.
Bangladesh's fortunes rest on Mortaza, a gifted 23-year-old who was deservedly named man of the match in Chittagong for his 4-97 in India's first innings and a match-saving 79 with seven boundaries and three sixes. India, for whom veterans Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly hit centuries, will retain opener Wasim Jaffer despite his horrific first-over noughts in both innings.
"Wasim is very keen to do well here," said Dravid. "It's not fair to judge someone by one match. He has done so well in the past." Either seamer Ishant Sharma or left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar will make his Test debut after India omitted seasoned batsmen Venkatsai Laxman and Yuvraj Singh, and seamer Vikram Rajvir Singh from a shortlist of 12. India team (from): Rahul Dravid (Captain), Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthick, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Rudra Pratap Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ramesh Powar, Rajesh Pawar, Ishant Sharma.
Bangladesh team (from): Habibul Bashar (Captain), Mohammad Ashraful, Javed Omar, Shahriar Nafees, Saqibul Hasan, Rajin Saleh, Tushar Imran, Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Enamul Haque, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel, Mehrab Hossain.
India Bangladesh Second Test: India arrives in Dhaka for second Test
May 24, 2007
After the disappointment of the rain-marred opening Test in Chittagong, the Indian cricket team arrived here on Wednesday for the second and final match of the series begining on Friday.
The Indian players reached Dhaka by a GMG Airlines flight in the morning and headed straight for the team hotel under strong security cover. Team sources said there would be no net practice.
Meanwhile, leggie Anil Kumble, down with flu, was improving. "I am feeling better," Kumble said before boarding the Dhaka-bound flight in Chittagong.
Kumble could not complete his batting in the first innings of the first Test and had to stay out of the ground for the remaining part of the first Test due to high fever. The Bangladesh team arrived in their capital city on Tuesday night, and like the Indians, had skipped the nets on Wednesday.
More than 15 hours of playing time was lost in the first Test which ended in a dull draw yesterday. The second Test would be played at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
India vs Bangladesh Second Test at Mirpur
Scores
Bangladesh won the toss and decided to field
|
610 for 3 (153.0 overs)
|
|
|
118 all out (37.2 overs)
|
253 all out (57.3 overs)
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| K D Karthik | c Habibul Bashar | b Mashrafe Mortaza | 129 |
213 | 16 | 0 |
| W Jaffer | retd hurt | 138 |
229 | 17 | 0 | |
| R Dravid | c Javed Omar | b Mohammad Rafique | 129 |
176 | 15 | 1 |
| S R Tendulkar | not out | 122 |
226 | 8 | 1 | |
| S C Ganguly | c Khaled Mashud | b Mohammad Rafique | 15 |
32 | 1 | 0 |
| M S Dhoni | not out | 51 |
50 | 3 | 4 | |
| Extras | 7nb 5w 7b 7lb | 26 | ||||
| Total | for 3 | 610 | (153.0 ovs) | |||
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| Javed Omar | c K D Karthik | b Z Khan | 0 |
1 | 0 | 0 |
| Shahriar Nafees | b Z Khan | 2 |
5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Habibul Bashar | c M S Dhoni | b R P Singh | 4 |
6 | 1 | 0 |
| Rajin Saleh | c W Jaffer | b A Kumble | 20 |
29 | 4 | 0 |
| Mohammad Ashraful | lbw | b Z Khan | 0 |
1 | 0 | 0 |
| Shakib Al Hasan | lbw | b Z Khan | 30 |
47 | 4 | 0 |
| Mohammad Sharif | lbw | b A Kumble | 13 |
38 | 1 | 0 |
| Khaled Mashud | c M S Dhoni | b A Kumble | 25 |
64 | 2 | 0 |
| Mashrafe Mortaza | c A Kumble | b I Sharma | 2 |
4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mohammad Rafique | b Z Khan | 12 |
23 | 1 | 0 | |
| Syed Rasel | not out | 2 |
12 | 0 | 0 | |
| Extras | 6nb 2lb | 8 | ||||
| Total | all out | 118 | (37.2 ovs) | |||
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| Javed Omar | c M S Dhoni | b Z Khan | 0 |
1 | 0 | 0 |
| Shahriar Nafees | c M S Dhoni | b R P Singh | 4 |
9 | 1 | 0 |
| Habibul Bashar | c R Dravid | b Z Khan | 5 |
12 | 1 | 0 |
| Rajin Saleh | c S C Ganguly | b R R Powar | 42 |
46 | 8 | 0 |
| Mohammad Ashraful | c S R Tendulkar | b A Kumble | 67 |
41 | 12 | 2 |
| Shakib Al Hasan | c R Dravid | b R R Powar | 15 |
64 | 1 | 0 |
| Khaled Mashud | c S R Tendulkar | b R R Powar | 8 |
41 | 0 | 0 |
| Mashrafe Mortaza | c M S Dhoni | b S R Tendulkar | 70 |
68 | 8 | 3 |
| Mohammad Sharif | c and b | A Kumble | 17 |
56 | 2 | 0 |
| Mohammad Rafique | lbw | b S R Tendulkar | 11 |
9 | 1 | 1 |
| Syed Rasel | not out | 1 |
7 | 0 | 0 | |
| Extras | 9nb 3w 1lb | 13 | ||||
| Total | all out | 253 | (57.3 ovs) | |||
|
|
Umpires: B R Doctrove, D J Harper
Bangladesh: Javed Omar, Shahriar Nafees, Habibul Bashar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful, Rajin Saleh, Mashrafe Mortaza, Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Mohammad Sharif, Syed Rasel
India: W Jaffer, K D Karthik, R Dravid, S R Tendulkar, S C Ganguly, M S Dhoni, R R Powar, Z Khan, A Kumble, R P Singh, I Sharma
Bangladesh Cricketers
Aftab Ahmed | Alok Kapali | Enamul Haque jnr | Habibul Basher | Javed Omar | Khaled Mashud | Mashrafe Mortaza | Mohammad Ashraful | Mohammad Rafique | Nafeez Iqbal | Rajin Saleh | Shahadat Hossain | Shahriar NafeesRaman Lamba
He played just four test matches for India, but whoever saw him on the field was left with a lifetime of memories..