Raza steers Pakistan to victory

Pakistan A 288 for 4 (Hasan Raza 106*, Misbah-ul-Haq 73) beat India A 252 (Sodhi 70, Rao 69, Mansoor Amjad 4-68) by 36 runs
Scorecard

Hasan Raza holds the trophy after Pakistan's win © AFP

A century from Hasan Raza was the anchor for Pakistan A's 36-run victory over India A in the final of the EurAsia Series in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan came into the final on the back of a defeat when the two sides met in the group stage, but they deserved their win after outplaying India in all departments.

Raza's unbeaten 106, made off 112 balls, came at a time the innings had lost some momentum after the loss of two wickets in quick succession reduced them to 88 for 3. Raza found valuable support in Misbah-ul-Haq who made a vital 73 from 94 balls with four fours and a six. The pair, who came together at the end of 15th over, added 174 runs for the fourth-wicket which was only broken with Misbah's run out in the penultimate over of the innings.

India started badly, losing both openers six balls after they had laboured to 42 in the 11th over, but Venugopal Rao (69) and Reetinder Sodhi (70) put them back on course with a stand of 147 in 29 overs.

The decisive moment came when Mansoor Amjad dismissed them both within four balls, and with an asking rate of ten-an-over and no set batsman at the crease, India folded, losing their last six wickets for 40 in six overs.