Pakistan look to seal series

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Pakistan look to seal series

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Second ODI between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played today in Mirpur.

03 December,2011 05:30 am

Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in the second One Day International (ODI) of the three-match series today at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, reports UNB.Outplaying Bangladesh in the one-off T20, the visitors tore apart the fragile mindest of the hosts’ batsmen in the first ODI. On a pitch that was aiding spin, the Pakistan spin quartet made hay as one batsman after another struggled to come into grips with the pitch as well as the conditions. Batting was not easy, as the Pakistani batsmen found later on during the match, but the Bangladeshi batsmen were found wanting in technique and temperament. The 2nd ODI offers them one more opportunity to set right a few things.The scene for the second ODI remains the same and if the pitch offers the same kind of support as it did during the 1st match, things should be rather too easy for the Pakistan spinners. The statistics tell the story for the spinners. ShahidAfridi, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammed Hafeez find themselves amongst the top 10 wicket takers for the year. The trio have scalped a humongous 103 wickets between them this year. Add to this, the potency of their opening bowling combination, you have a attack that can bowl out the opposition cheaply.Unpredictable is the word for the Pakistan batsmen. Chasing a modest 92, they almost contrived to make a hash out of it.They were reduced to 63/5 at one stage and it needed some beefy blows from Afridi to take them home. Misbah-ul-Haq is a cool and composed man at the helm and he would not have liked the way some of the batters perished. If Pakistan are to take on the best in the business, they cannot afford any more sloppiness with the bat.