Practice match ends in a draw

Lahore, Sept 23: The first match between the Pakistan team and the Rest of Pakistan side had to be abandoned as a draw due to bad light on Friday. The second one of the three-match series to be a day and night game and will be played on Sept 24 (Sunday) at 2:30 pm.

The match started 35 minutes late because overnight rain had dampened pitch. It was reduced to 45 overs-a-side, each.

The third-wicket partnership of 85 runs on 122 deliveries between Yousaf Youhana and Faisal Iqbal helped the Pakistan team hit a total of 211 all out in 44.3 overs. Yousaf hit a fine knock of 51 on 72 balls with the help of six fours. Faisal Iqbal contributed 33.

Azhar Mahmood also contributed 51 runs accumulated on as many deliveries, with the help of four boundaries and a big six.

Abdul Razzaq scored 40 on as many balls with the help of a six and three fours. He tried to chop a ball from Imran Farhat which remain straight and shattered his stumps.

Mushtaq Ahmad claimed three wickets for 46 while Kabir KHan and Imran Farhat picked two wickets, each, conceding 29 and 31 runs, respectively.

The Rest of Pakistan team was served well by a brilliant second-wicket stand of 134 runs on 164 balls between opener Saleem Elahi and Imran Abbas. When the team had reached 158 for the loss of four wickets in 35 overs, bad light prompted the umpires Ehtisham-ul-Haq and Nadeem Ghauri to stop the game.

Saleem Elahi hit an elegant knock of 89 on 103 balls, studded with nine boundaries.

Imran Abbas scored 45 on 76 deliveries with the help of five boundaries. He mistimed his drive on a ball from Azhar Mahmood and offered an easy catch to Shafiq Ahmad at long-off.

Azhar Mahmood and Abdul Razzaq claimed two wickets, each, giving away 27 and 32 runs, respectively.