Source: RTÉ Sport

Pakistan remain on course for a series whitewash of Bangladesh after they cruised to a seven-wicket win in the fourth one-day international at Multan.

The hosts had been set 211 for victory thanks largely to a second ODI century from Shakib Al Hasan, who rescued the tourists’ hopes after they were 16 for four.

However, Pakistan’s run chase proved trouble-free after opener Salman Butt smashed 74 from 84 balls to set his side on course for victory.

A leisurely knock from Bazid Khan (51) in partnership with Mohammad Yousuf (37 not out) then guided Pakistan home with 33 balls to spare.

Bangladesh’s hopes of claiming a first win from their hastily-arranged tour, after Australia withdrew from their scheduled visit to Pakistan on security grounds, were immediately undermined as they were reduced to 16 for four.

Things quickly fell apart for Bangladesh after captain Mohammad Ashraful won the toss and elected to bat.

Junaid Siddique edged an Umar Gul delivery to Kamran Akmal in the slips to depart without scoring and moments later Aftab Ahmed was also out for a duck, caught by Misbah-ul-Haq in the slips.

Tamim Iqbal, who had all of Bangladesh’s runs to that point, then hit a loose shot and was caught by Butt at backward point to reduce the tourists to ten for three.

Ashraful became Gul’s third victim, edging a fine delivery to Misbah.

That brought Shakib to the crease and he set about shoring up the Bangladesh innings, even as wickets continued to tumble at the other end.

It was in Mashrafe Mortaza that he finally found a reliable partner, and together they put on 97 for the ninth wicket before Mortaza succumbed on 39, caught by Fawad Alam when he tried to smash a Mohammad Asif delivery over the ropes.

Asif made his return to the Pakistan side after six months out with an elbow injury, but looked a little rusty and finished with figures of two for 35 off ten overs.

The hosts began their reply confidently with Butt and Kamran Akmal racing the score along to 50 in as many balls, although the former was given a life on 18 when he was dropped at deep cover from the bowling of Shahadat Hossain.

Butt made the visitors pay smashing Hossain for consecutive boundaries in his next over as he dominated the partnership, posting his 50 from 52 balls.

Akmal responded by hitting Shakib over the long-off fence for six, but departed soon after trying to replicate the shot against the same bowler for 36.

Butt continued to put pressure on the Bangladesh bowlers, but succumbed to a neat piece of fielding when Abdur Razzak’s direct hit from cover left him short of his crease attempting a quick single.

By then the damage had been done with the hosts 117 for two in the 24th over.

Only a leisurely knock from Bazid, who nudged his way to his second ODI half-century, in partnership with Mohammad Yousuf kept the game from finishing earlier.

The pair had got the hosts within 12 runs of their victory target when Bazid’s laborious innings (51 from 90 balls) was finally ended when he was caught by Hossain off the bowling of Razzak.

Yousuf clinched victory in the next over when he swept Razzak to the boundary, finishing 37 not out alongside Fawad Alam (5no).

The result means Pakistan will claim a 5-0 series whitewash with victory in the final match of the series in Karachi on Saturday.

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Tags: Bangladesh, Cricket, multan, One-Day International