The New Nation - Internet Edition

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An outstanding 108 from Shakib Al Hasan, his second hundred in ODIs, lifted Bangladesh from a dire 109 for 8 to a respectable 210 in the fourth ODI in Multan. Pakistan seemed on course for a ridiculously easy win before Shakib got together with Mashrafe Mortaza - the two added a record 97 for the ninth wicket, ensuring their team would have a reasonable total to defend under lights.

Shakib came to the crease after Bangladesh had completely thrown away the advantage of batting first on a flat pitch in bright and sunny conditions. Umar Gul struck twice in his first over, inducing edges from Junaid Siddique and Aftab Ahmed, while Mohammad Asif - playing his first international match in nearly six months - had Tamim Iqbal cutting straight to point. Ten for 3 became an even more depressing 16 for 4 soon after Shakib walked in, as Mohammad Ashraful became another victim of Gul's nagging line around off.

Shakib, coming off a fine 75 in the third ODI in Lahore, continued from where he had left off, gauging the pace of the pitch in a trice. Gul was cut and pulled for two fours in three balls - though the second was a slightly fortuitous top edge - while Asif was creamed through the covers.

Through the early part of his innings, though, it seemed his resistance would just be a minor irritant for a marauding Pakistan, as they knifed through the rest of the batting. Sohail Khan helped himself to a couple of wickets, while Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik took a wicket apiece as well. When Abdur Razzak was trapped in front, Bangladesh were gasping at 109 for 8, and there was every chance of the game finishing before the artificial lights came on.

Mortaza, though, turned out to be an excellent foil for Shakib. Where other top-order batsmen had thrown it away, Mortaza showed fine temperament, turning the strike over and allowing Shakib the luxury of a solid partner. The first signs of a significant partnership came when Gul returned for a second spell. Shakib pulled him crisply and then struck him through extra cover in the same over - the 33rd - as 12 came from the over, which was the most expensive of the innings.

Fawad Alam's harmless left-arm spin was milked away for ones and twos, while Malik's offspin met a similar fate as well. Never hurried in attack or defence, Shakib finally got to a richly deserved hundred in the 47th over with a couple of runs through extra cover off Malik. Mortaza finally fell to a slower one from Asif, who bowled within himself in his comeback game, mostly bowling in the mid-120s kph and hardly getting any swing or seam movement. Shakib was the last one out, with five deliveries left in the innings, but by then he had already done enough to ensure that the crowd in Multan had a memorable performance to cherish.