Plays of the Day

Alam's alarming accuracy, Aftab's abomination

Osman Samiuddin in Lahore

April 13, 2008

	Pakistan get together after one of Fawad Alam's rockets © AFP

Selection of the day
All tour the question has been asked: why isn't Shahadat Hossain playing? Bangladesh's attack, Mashrafe Mortaza apart, has had all the venom of bubblegum thus far so the inclusion, finally, of Shahadat brought some bite. He went for runs and was particularly thoughtless with the short ball, but what is a fast bowler with brains? Pakistan still scored over 300 but without his overs at the start and at the death, it could've been much more.

Are you Pakistani?
No matter how many times Pakistan rebuilds its side, as a fielding unit, they are rarely ever above mediocre. No different is Shoaib Malik's side, though Fawad Alam stands out like a nun in a brothel. Similar in build to fellow Karachiite Asif Mujtaba, Alam is as nifty in the field, effecting two fine run-outs, one from out deep and one from the covers. He can bat, he can bowl and he sure as hell can field.

Reverse curse
No one seems to have learnt from Mike Gatting's reverse horror at the '87 World Cup final. Aftab Ahmed reverse-swept almost everything he saw today and then some. He paid for it indirectly once, when Tamim Iqbal was run out going for a third run off an Aftab reverse-sweep. No matter, thought Aftab, I'll try again. Three overs later he did and top-edged to the 'keeper, effectively ending Bangladesh's chase.

Welcome to the club
Sohail Khan has, hopefully, many years ahead of him and many things still to learn. But he joined one not-so-exclusive club in only his second international match today: bowlers who curse Kamran Akmal. Khan had worked up considerable pace in his second spell in the middle of the innings when Shakib Al Hasan edged an outswinger to Akmal's left. Promptly the chance was spilled. Khan smiled, but will learn in good time it's not really that funny.

Men of the match
The much-maligned folks at Water and Power Development Authority, who ensured that unlike the first ODI, the floodlights stayed on through the match. The odds on that happening, it is reliably learnt, were longer than those on Bangladesh chasing 309.

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo

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