Pakistan overcome spin scare

Jun 24, 2008

Salman Butt was coming into this tournament on the back of some impressive performances•AFP

Younis Khan had scored a century in the Kitply Cup final against India, and he built the momentum with a fluent half-century•AFP

Younis Khan stepped out against Nadeem, and was left stranded as the ball turn past the blade. Wicketkeeper James Atkinson completed the stumping•AFP

Sohail Tanvir and Fawad Alam then rebuilt Pakistan's innings•AFP

Alam too scored his first fifty in ODIs•AFP

Tabarak avoided this bouncer, but a snorter from Umar Gul hit his jaw and forced him to retire hurt•AFP

Tabarak came back but was out leg-before to Afridi•AFP

But Afzaal Haider made it a dream start for Hong Kong, dismissing Butt on the third ball of match•AFP

Pakistan were past 100 in 15 overs, and the Hong Kong captain Tabarak Dar brought on Nadeem Ahmed, the left-arm spinner•AFP

Misbah-ul-Haq was later trapped in front and Shahid Afridi was out caught and bowled as Nadeem cut through Pakistan with four wickets in seven overs•AFP

Tanvir even tried switching his grip to that of a right-hander's ...•AFP

The two put on exactly 100 runs, a record for the eighth wicket in the Asia Cup•AFP

The Pakistan bowlers then made inroads. Tanvir took two wickets ...•AFP

A Zain Abbas shot smacked Younis Khan on the head. However, both players went off the field as Abbas was cramping up. Abbas was retired out as Hong Kong were dismissed 155 short of Pakistan's 288•AFP

Nadeem's third over was a wicket maiden, and he ended Mohammad Yousuf's innings on 28•AFP

Sarfraz Ahmed was run-out, and Pakistan were left struggling at 161 for 7•AFP

... en route to his maiden ODI fifty•AFP

Alam was unbeaten on 63 as Pakistan managed a formidable 288 for 9•AFP

... and Iftikhar Anjum bowled Irfan Ahmed and Hussain Butt as Hong Kong were reduced to 45 for 4•AFP