Bangladesh looks to captain Ashraful for consolation win

Pakistan have an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series but Siddons said his side can still test the hosts provided all the batsmen, including Ashraful, rediscover some form.

“I am concerned about Ashraful’s performances. As captain of the team, he needs to perform and score,” said Siddons of Ashraful who has scores of nine, 22 and 16 in the series.

Bangladesh lost the first two matches by 152 runs and seven wickets respectively before they gave Pakistan a run for their money in the third match in Lahore on Sunday, losing by 23 runs.

“Ashraful is the most experienced batsman in our side. Whenever he performs the team wins. I have spoken to him about it. The way he has been training I think a big score is round the corner,” said the coach.

Left-handed batsman Shakib Al Hasan (75) and Tamim Iqbal (63) batted brilliantly in the third match but Bangladesh, needing 40 in the last three overs, fell just short in the end, with Aftab Ahmed also posting a handy 42.

“I put the heat on Shakib and Aftab after the second match and they responded well to it. I am now putting the heat on Ashraful in the same way and am confident he will come good in the last two matches,” said Siddons, an Australian who took over last year.

Bangladesh face a further challenge as Pakistan’s bowling attack will be boosted by the return of fit-again spearhead Mohammad Asif, who was included this week in the 16-man squad for Wednesday’s game. Asif last played in October and has been recovering from elbow surgery in December last year.

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said he hoped his team would keep their winning momentum.

“Our aim from the start was to win all the matches and we are on the track to achieve that,” said Malik, whose team can equal the record of most successive one-day wins by a Pakistan team with a clean sweep against Bangladesh, set at eleven in 1990.

Pakistan won the last match in their 3-2 defeat against India in December last year, then beat Zimbabwe 5-0 in February ahead of the current series.

The fifth and final match is scheduled for Karachi on Saturday. Both teams play a Twenty20 international, also in Karachi, on Sunday.

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