Bangladesh made their final contribution to this year's World Cup a significant one by beating Group B winners Pakistan by 62-runs at Northampton.

Supporters invaded the pitch before the end of the match was confirmed with the running out of Saqlain Mushtaq needing to be made official by video replays.

Fortunately, the replays showed the off-spinner to be out of his ground, and the party began.

The side had earlier been rocked by the news that Gordon Greenidge had been sacked as national coach after the side's poor performance in the World Cup.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board president Saber Hussain Chowdhury wrote the former West Indian opener a letter advising him to step down on the day preceding the team's final match against Group B winners Pakistan.

Greenidge shall remain the BCB's coaching director.

Chowdhury, who is also a minister in the Bangladesh government, said the letter to Greenidge was signed by Tanveer Mazhar, the BCB's senior vice president and the team manager.

Shafiuddin Ahmed takes the wicket of Ijaz Ahmed

On the field, the team's victory meant the first big scalp to their name in one-day internationals, having only previously defeated Kenya and Scotland.

Man-of-the-match Khaled Mahmud finished up with three wickets for 31.

The medium-pace bowler struck in the first over when he had Shahid Afridi caught at cover point by Mehrab Hossain with the total at five.

Shafiuddin Ahmed, making his World Cup debut bowled Ijaz Ahmed as Pakistan struggled at 7 for 2.

Back came Khaled to remove dangermen Inzamam-ul-Haq and Salim Malik, both adjudged leg-before wicket to balls that kept low and struck both batsmen below the kneeroll, while Saeed Anwar was run out attempting a quick single.

At five down, Wasim Akram and Azhar Mahmood came in and put on 55 for the sixth wicket and were threatening a comeback until Azhar was run out by Aminal Islam attempting a single.

The vocal, pro-Bangladesh crowd sensed the shock result when Wasim was caught on the boundary trying to sweep Minhazul Abedin in the 30th over. The Pakistan chase was as good as over at 102 for seven.

Wicket-keeper Moin Khan, so often a thorn in the side of teams thinking they had Pakistan on the ropes, was caught on the boundary attempting to square drive Naimur Rahman in the 35th over, to leave Pakistan at 124 for eight.

Waqar Younis, playing for the first time in the World Cup, scored 11 off 20 balls before he was bowled by left-arm spinner Mohammed Rafique to make the total 160 for nine in the 43rd over.

And the quest for runs saw Saqlain run out for 21 after last man Shoaib Akhtar called for a quick single.

The Bangladesh innings was memorable for a brave innings from Akram Khan.

Pakistan's Uncle cricket

He hit 42 against a Pakistan attack perhaps underwhelmed by a match which will make no difference to their final standing in the Group.

Opener Shahriar Hossain managed 39 in conditions which were initially tricky, and his side progressed to 120 for two before Saqlain took over.

The off-spinner produced a potentially match winning spell of five for 35 to underline why Pakistan's bowling attack is as feared as it is.

Waqar, once the deadliest fast bowler in the world, was recalled for the match and his confidence would have been boosted by two wickets for 36.

Pakistan opened with him and Shoaib but were warned of Bangladesh's intentions from the start when Shahriar hit Waqar for two boundaries in the same over.

Younis retired from the attack with figures of none for 20 from five overs and Shahriar continued to prosper with consecutive boundaries off his replacement Azhar to bring up the 50 in the 14th over.

Saqlain Mushtaq appeals for the wicket of Shahriar Hossain

Pakistan captain Wasim introduced spin for the first time in the form of Saqlain who was immediately successful, breaking the partnership at 69 when Mehrab Hossain was stumped for nine.

Shahriar followed in Saqlain's next over, falling leg-before-wicket for 39 while trying an ambitious sweep.

Akram off-drove Mahmood handsomely for four as Bangladesh posted their 100 in the 27th over before he was caught off a leading edge trying to turn Younis to leg.

Naimer Rahman followed in the same over, comprehensively bowled for 13 and there were three more wickets for Saqlain but the Bangladesh batsmen kept the scoreboard ticking with quick running between the wickets, aided by some sloppy Pakistan fielding.

World Cup - Group B: Pakistan v Bangladesh
31/05/99 at Northampton

Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 62 runs Scorecard correct at 20:21 BST

Pakistan 161 all out (44.3overs)
Bangladesh 223 for 9 (50overs) , overs completed

Pakistan innings

Batsman			Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Saeed Anwar		run out	9	20	-	-
Shahid Afridi	c Mehrab Hossain	b Khaled Mahmud	2	4	-	-
Ijaz Ahmed		b Shafiuddin Ahmed	0	5	-	-
Inzamam-ul-Haq	lbw	b Khaled Mahmud	7	16	1	-
Salim Malik	lbw	b Khaled Mahmud	5	17	-	-
Azhar Mahmood		run out	29	61	3	-
Wasim Akram	c Shahriar Hossain	b Minhazul Abedin	29	52	2	1
Moin Khan	c Mehrab Hossain	b Naimur Rahman	18	17	2	-
Saqlain Mushtaq		run out	21	51	2	-
Waqar Younis		b Mohammed Rafique	11	20	-	-
Shoaib Akhtar		not out	1	5	-	-
Extras	1b 6lb 21w 1nb		29
TOTAL:	44.3 overs		161

Fall of wickets: 1-5 (5 Shahid Afridi, 5 mins), 2-7 (2 Ijaz Ahmed, 3 mins), 3-26 (19 Saeed Anwar, 24 mins), 4-29 (3 Inzamam-ul-Haq, 3 mins), 5-42 (13 Salim Malik, 19 mins), 6-97 (55 Azhar Mahmood, 59 mins), 7-102 (5 Wasim Akram, 6 mins), 8-124 (22 Moin Khan, 21 mins), 9-160 (36 Waqar Younis, 26 mins), 10-161 (1 Saqlain Mushtaq, 12 mins)

Bowler	O	M	R	W
Khaled Mahmud	10	2	31	3
Shafiuddin Ahmed	8	0	26	1
Neeyamur Rashid	5	1	20	0
Mohammed Rafique	8	0	28	1
Minhazul Abedin	7	2	29	1
Naimur Rahman	6.3	2	20	1

Bangladesh innings

Batsman			Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Shahriar Hossain	lbw	b Saqlain Mushtaq	39	60	5	-
Mehrab Hossain	st Moin Khan	b Saqlain Mushtaq	9	42	-	-
Akram Khan	c Wasim Akram	b Waqar Younis	42	66	6	-
Aminul Islam		b Shahid Afridi	15	26	2	-
Naimur Rahman		b Waqar Younis	13	20	2	-
Minhazul Abedin	c &	b Saqlain Mushtaq	14	14	2	-
Khaled Mahmud	st Moin Khan	b Saqlain Mushtaq	27	34	3	-
Khaled Mashud		not out	15	21	1	-
Mohammed Rafique	c Shoaib Akhtar	b Saqlain Mushtaq	6	19	-	-
Neeyamur Rashid	lbw	b Wasim Akram	1	2	-	-
Shafiuddin Ahmed		not out	2	3	-	-
Extras	0b 5lb 28w 7nb		40
TOTAL:	9 wkts, 50 overs		223

Fall of wickets: 1-69 (69 Mehrab Hossain, 79 mins), 2-70 (1 Shahriar Hossain, 23 mins), 3-120 (50 Aminul Islam, 44 mins), 4-148 (28 Akram Khan, 20 mins), 5-148 (0 Naimur Rahman, - mins), 6-187 (39 Minhazul Abedin, 27 mins), 7-195 (8 Khaled Mahmud, 8 mins), 8-208 (13 Mohammed Rafique, 13 mins), 9-212 (4 Neeyamur Rashid, 1 mins)

Bowler	O	M	R	W
Waqar Younis	9	1	36	2
Shoaib Akhtar	8	0	30	0
Wasim Akram	10	0	35	1
Azhar Mahmood	8	0	56	0
Saqlain Mushtaq	10	1	35	5
Shahid Afridi	5	0	26	1

Pakistan won the toss and decided to field

Umpires: D B Cowie, D R Shepherd

Pakistan
Saeed Anwar , Shahid Afridi , Ijaz Ahmed , Inzamam-ul-Haq , Salim Malik , Azhar Mahmood , Moin Khan , Wasim Akram , Saqlain Mushtaq , Waqar Younis , Shoaib Akhtar ,

Bangladesh
Mehrab Hossain , Shahriar Hossain , Akram Khan , Aminul Islam , Naimur Rahman , Minhazul Abedin , Khaled Mahmud , Khaled Mashud , Mohammed Rafique , Neeyamur Rashid , Shafiuddin Ahmed ,