A team beaten
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh A suffered their first setback on their tour of Pakistan when Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) handed down a crushing eight-wicket defeat in the Patron's Trophy at the Karachi National Stadium yesterday. In a game where batsmen reigned supreme, PTCL successfully chased a victory target of 236 in just 46.5 overs on an eventful final day. The visitors, who drew their first four-day game and won both their one-day engagements, were awestruck by two blistering knocks from Babar Naeem (118 not out) and Fyyaz (80) after they produced what appeared to be a match-saving second-inning total of 339. The marauding PTCL duo virtually toyed with the Bangladesh A bowlers after they were given 57 overs with which to chase the target. Naeem's match-winning knock was the second century on the day after Rajin Saleh scored 114. Resuming the day on 97, the diminutive right-hander reached the magical three figures at a venue where he hogged the international spotlight during Bangladesh's Test series against Pakistan last August. But Rajin's century and an addition of 104 runs to the overnight total of 235-4 were not enough for the tourists to avoid a defeat. The second-string Bangladesh attack that looked brilliant only the previous day with Anwar Hossain Monir finishing with a seven-wicket burst was miserably out of depth in the absence of Mushfiqur Rahman, who returned home following an injury after the first game against Defence Housing Authority. Left-arm spinner Manjarul Islam could only claim the wicket of Fyyaz but not before all the damage had been done. Aqeel Mukter was the other local batsman to be run out after making six. However, despite the defeat the good news for the visitors was that their top batsmen have returned among runs. Ashraful showed definite signs of returning to form with a superb 108 in the second innings after a re-born opener Shahriar Hossain his 84 in the first innings. Bangladesh A will play their next match against WAPDA (Water And Power Development Authority) from December 28 to January 1. SCORES IN BRIEF BANGLADESH A: First innings 223 all out in 100.3 overs (Shahriar 84, Rajin 47, Manjarul 29; Riaz Afridi 4-39) PTCL: First innings 327 all out in 93 overs (Khalid 99, Malik 87, Zulqarnain 63 not out; Monir 7-81, Alamgir 2-35) BANGLADESH A: Second innings 339 all out in 102.4 overs (Ashraful 108, Rajin 114, Monir 28, Manjarul 20) PTCL: Second innings 236 for two in 46.5 overs (S Naeem 118 not out, Fyyaz 80) Result: PTCL won by eight wickets.
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