Ton-up Shakib revives Bangladesh in fourth cricket ODI

Left-hander Shakib Al Hasan hit a fighting hundred to lift Bangladesh's flagging innings to 210 in the fourth day-night international against Pakistan here on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old scored 108 for his second one-day hundred and shared a Bangladesh record ninth wicket stand of 97 with Mashrafe Mortaza (38) to revive the tourists, who were reeling at 109-8 after they won the toss and batted.

Bangladesh are trailing 3-0 in the five-match series.

Hasan, who made 75 in Bangladesh's narrow 23-run defeat in the third match at Lahore on Sunday, took a double in the 47th over to reach his hundred off 115 balls with eight fours.

In all, he faced 120 balls before holing out in the last over to paceman Sohail Khan, who finished with 3-30.

The previous best ninth wicket stand for Bangladesh in one-day cricket was 62 between Khaled Mashud and Mohammad Rafique against the West Indies at St. Lucia four years ago.

Mortaza, who hit just one boundary during his 67-ball knock, was out at long-on in the 48th over.

Hasan, who came in when the scoreboard was at 10-3, also added 37 for the sixth wicket with Farhad Reza (14) after paceman Umar Gul rocked the tourists.

Gul's incisive opening spell of 3-25 left Bangladesh struggling at 16-4 in the sixth over.

Hasan however batted with resolve, holding one end to ensure Bangladesh would surpass their lowest ever one-day total of 87, made against Pakistan at Dhaka in 2000.

Bangladesh were off to a disastrous start, losing opener Junaid Siddique (nought) to Gul off the fifth ball of the second over and then Aftab Ahmed fell for a duck in the bowler's next over.

Fellow opener Tamim Iqbal failed to curb his natural tendency to play shots as the wickets tumbled, playing straight into the hands of cover off paceman Mohammad Asif.

Asif, who returned after a five-month lay-off due to an elbow injury, finished with 2-35.

Gul then had Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful (four) caught in the slips before Hasan and Mahmudullah Riad (14) added 29 for the fifth wicket.

Sohail, playing his third one-day international, bowled Mahmudullah before accounting for Reza but in the end it was Hasan who carried the batting until the last over.