An unexpected power failure took the momentum away from Bangladesh and led them to a 58-run defeat in the third one-day international for a 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan in Chittagong on Tuesday.
After restricting Pakistan to 177 runs, Bangladesh appeared to be coasting towards victory as they reached 61-1 when suddenly the floodlights went out at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
That unexpected 15-minute break extinguished Bangladesh’s hopes of avoiding a series whitewash as upon resumption they lost their last nine wickets for just 50 runs and were all out for 119.
‘The momentum was with Bangladesh at that time…the blackout broke the momentum and we reaped the benefit,’ said Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq.
‘We got time to think about our bowling during the break and came back strongly.’
Off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez led Pakistan’s spin attack with 3-27 while former captain Shoaib Malik, playing his 200th one-day international, cleaned up the tail with three wickets for only six runs.
Hafeez, who became only the third all-rounder in history after Sanath Jayasuriya and Jacques Kallis to complete 30 wickets and 1,000 runs in a calendar year, bowled opener Tamim Iqbal with the first ball of the innings but Bangladesh were still in the game.
Shahriar Nafees and Mahmudullah frustrated the visitors with their patient knocks and just when it seemed Bangladesh were finally earning a long-overdue victory against Pakistan, the floodlights at the stadium went out.
The venue manager told reporters that a transformer in the Khulshi area of the city had tripped leading to the unexpected power outage.
Power supply resumed soon through another line in Sitakundu but the damage had already been done.
Misbah’s men fought back by grabbing five wickets for just 14 runs to throw Bangladesh virtually out the game after the break. Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal trapped Nafees (25) lbw, Mushfiqur Rahim was sent back for a duck by left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman while Hafeez removed Mahmudullah (35) and Sakib al Hasan (nine).
Nasir Hossain’s innings lasted just eight balls as he became Rehman’s second victim of the day and his exit left Bangladesh reeling at 83 for six.
‘We were making runs in the last one or two overs (before the break) and a partnership was in the making,’ Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim rued.
‘A break always can make a difference. Obviously the batsmen need to settle down after every break. You have to adapt to the situation, but unfortunately we could not do this,’ he said.
Alok Kapali and Farhad Reza revived their hopes with a 34-run stand before a dubious umpiring decision ended it all for the home side.
A confident-looking Reza was given out lbw off Ajmal for 21 but television replays suggested the ball took an inside edge before hitting his pad. Ajmal finished with two wickets for six runs as Bangladesh lost their last four wickets for two runs.
Earlier, a 94-run fourth-wicket stand between Misbah and Umar Akmal provided the backbone to the Pakistan innings as Bangladesh spinners also had some success on the slow Chittagong pitch.
Akmal made his second half-century of the series before he was stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim off Elias Sunny for 57 off 84 balls.
Misbah chipped in with 47 before falling to left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, who finished with 3-21.
Off-spinner Mahmudullah claimed his career best three wickets for four runs from only seven deliveries to wrap up the Pakistan innings.
-With New Age input
