Comprehensive win for Pakistan A

Pakistan A sauntered to an eight-wicket win over Afghanistan in the first unofficial ODI of their two-match series in Lahore on Monday. Pakistan achieved the target of 123 in just 16.1 overs, with fluent knocks from Umar Akmal and opener Khurram Manzoor.

The win, however, was set up by the Pakistan A bowlers, led ably by Shahid Afridi, who took three wickets for 24 runs in his allotted ten overs. Afghanistan, who were sent in to bat, got off to a solid start, as openers Mohammad Shahzad and Karim Sadiq added 42 runs. Their batting collapse was triggered by a double-strike from left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz, who dismissed Shahzad and Nawroz Mangal off the second and third balls of the 19th over. Afghanistan lost wickets regularly thereon, with left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar, Riaz and Shahid Afridi picking up three wickets each.

Afghanistan's bowling line-up, missing the services of fast bowler Shapoor Zadran who is at the Bangladesh Premier League, posed no challenge to Pakistan A. The hosts got off to a blistering start, with Manzoor hitting a flurry of fours. By the time he was dismissed for 41 off 25 balls, Pakistan A were 58 for 1 in eight overs. Akmal and Shan Masood proceeded to shut Afghanistan out of the match with an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 62 runs. Akmal's aggressive knock of 47 off 30 balls included six fours and two sixes.