Pakistan signal intent with innings win

12/12/2011

The Pakistan cricket team has begun its last series before facing England in the UAE with a crushing innings victory over Bangladesh.

Set 459 just to make Pakistan bat again, the hosts were bowled out for 275, with efforts of 78 from Nazimuddin and 51 from Shakib al-Hasan not enough to hold up the visitors.

Pakistan had dominated the game from day one by bowling the hosts out for 135 and piling up 594 for five declared, including 200 not out from Younis Khan and centuries from Mohammed Hafeez and Asad Shafiq.

England fans enjoying corporate hospitality at Lords in the first Test of next summer when the West Indies are the visitors will hope England are still ranked number one after playing Pakistan and Sri Lanka this winter.

And their opponents will recognise they face a side who are vastly superior in strength to Bangladesh, who lie bottom of the rankings.

England's most recent Test match encounter with Bangladesh also ended in an innings win, when the two sides met at Old Trafford last year. 

By Sam Smith