Shoaib and Salman set up convincing win in warm-up tie
HYDERABAD (India), March 30: Shoaib Malik smashed 81 not out from 78 balls to guide Pakistan to an eight-wicket victory over an India ‘A’ side in a one-day warm-up game on Wednesday.
Shoaib struck four sixes and shared in a 137-run second wicket partnership with opening batsman Salman Butt, who hit a cautious 70 off 124 balls, lifting Pakistan, who squared the preceding three-Test series 1-1, to 190 for two in 41 overs after India ‘A’ made 189 for seven in 45 overs.
Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq and vice-captain Younis Khan both skipped the warm-up event for the six-match one-day series starting on Saturday. All-rounder Abdul Razzaq captained the side.
Besides Inzamam and Younis, Pakistan also frontline batsman Yousuf Youhana, all-rounder Shahid Afridi and pace spearhead Mohammad Sami.
Shoaib, 23, dominated the bowling with left-hander Salman, whose solid 124-ball effort ended six runs from victory when he was bowled trying to cut medium-pacer Ranadeb Bose.
Shoaib had been frustrated after being left out of the three-Test series which ended in a 1-1 draw this week, mainly because he cannot bowl his off breaks after being reported in October for chucking.
Left-hander Suresh Raina top-scored with 55, but the rest of the India ‘A’ batsmen disappointed.
Rana Navedul Hasan, out with a shoulder injury since the drawn first Test in Mohali, was the pick of the attack as he struck two early blows. The seamer bowled Shikhar Dhawan for eight and then removed the other opener Mahender Singh Dhoni for three to finish with figures of 2-42.
Rao Iftikhar, Shahid Nazir and Arshad Khan grabbed a wicket each.
The match was reduced by five overs each after a delayed start due to a damp outfield.
The first One-day International will be played in Kochi.
The remaining One-day Internationals are scheduled for Vishakapatnam (April, Jamshedpur (April, Ahmedabad (April (12), Kanpur (April 15) and Delhi (April 17).
