Mukhtar 87 sets up big victory

Pakistan A 224 for 5 (Mukhtar 87, Iftikhar 50) beat Kenya 106 (Odhiambo 22, Fawad 2-20, Mukhtar 2-3) by 118 runs
Scorecard

A rapid 87 off 62 balls and two wickets from Mukhtar Ahmed set up Pakistan A's 118-run win against Kenya at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore which took their series lead to 4-0 in the five-match series.

The morning began with dense fog around the stadium leading to a three-hour delay after which Kenya opted to bowl and the match was reduced to 28-overs-a-side from 45. Pakistan openers Iftikhar Ahmed and Mukhtar provided a solid start with a stand of 145 runs. The scoring rate at the end of the 10th over was 6.80, but it was paced up quickly with Kenya conceding 98 runs in next 10 overs.

Pakistan A lost two quick wickets during that period as Iftikhar fell soon after completing his fifty, going for a pull only to be caught at midwicket, followed by Umar Siddiq, who fell for a first-ball duck. A stunning running catch by Gurdeep Singh dismissed Mukhtar, who struck 11 fours and two sixes. A late surge from Zohaib Ahmed (25 off 21) Mohammad Rizwan helped the hosts put up a daunting total of 224 for 5.

Kenya were shaky in their reply as they lost their first wicket in the first over itself. They never looked strong enough to intimidate the hosts, despite some resistance shown by Morris Ouma (21) and Nelson Odhiambo (22), and never came close to the asking rate. Wickets fell at regular intervals and Kenya were dismissed for 106 runs with a ball to spare.

Saeed Ajmal, who has been suspended from bowling in international cricket, played for Pakistan A. He spent three months in remedial work on his illegal action and ended up with two spells of three overs each, conceded 23 runs for one wicket. He was playing his first competitive game in the last four months after he was suspended. He went wicketless in his first spell and struck in his second spell whenEmmanuel Bundi flicked a length ball to be caught at square leg.

Ajmal returned with a significant improvement in his action, stride and follow through. His arm looked stiffer and straighter while watching with the naked eye. He wasn't mixing up the deliveries as he was just bowling his conventional offspin with a slower stride.

"I am very happy and feeling comfortable coming back after a long time," Ajmal said after the match. "I have done a lot and I'm doing whatever I can do to get things right. I worked so hard and gave my 100%, now I am hoping to get myself cleared.

"This was my first match after a long time and I have plenty of domestic games ahead of me to eventually regain my confidence, and I will come hard with my same old spirit and flow.

"There was no pressure at all playing against Kenya. In fact I never took pressure ever as I am preparing and improving myself for bigger targets like the World Cup, so I am focusing that."