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| March 11, 2007 | Sunday | Safar 21, 1428 |
Younis shapes convincing victory for Pakistan
ST AUGUSTINE (Trinidad), March 10: Younis Khan overcame a controversial pitch with an attractive half-century as Pakistan whipped South Africa by seven wickets in the final World Cup warm-up match here on Friday (partially reported in Saturday’s edition).
The top-order batsman smashed 79 to help his team surpass South Africa's modest total of 199 with more than five overs to spare in a match which was held up for nearly 10 minutes in the morning due to poor pitch conditions.
Younis showed there were no demons in the track as he batted with authority against the South African attack, hitting one six and nine fours in his impressive 98-ball knock.
Younis was not the only Pakistani batsman among runs as opener Mohammad Hafeez scored a stylish 49 to put his team on course for an emphatic victory.
The pair put on 68 for the second wicket.
Mohammad Yousuf also gained valuable batting practice ahead of his team's opening World Cup match against the West Indies at Jamaica on March 13, scoring a fluent 48 not out. He put on 100 for the third wicket with Younis.
“I am delighted that all my batsmen and bowlers have got some good practice. This is an ideal time to enter the main competition,” said Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq.
South Africa were not so fortunate as their batting left a lot to be desired in the second successive match. They managed just 192 against debutants Ireland in their opening game after being reduced to 91-8 at one stage.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA:
G.C. Smith b Umar Gul 1
A.B. de Villiers lbw b Sami 3
J.H. Kallis lbw b Kaneria 29
H.H. Gibbs c Kamran b Sami 11
A.G. Prince lbw b Hafeez 35
L.L. Bosman c Yasir b Shoaib 53
M.V. Boucher b Hafeez 22
S.M. Pollock c Yasir b Shoaib 9
A.J. Hall run out 5
R.J. Peterson b Umar Gul 4
R. Telemachus not out 1
EXTRAS (B-12, LB-1, W-6, NB-7) 26
TOTAL (all out, 48.3 overs) 199
FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-5, 3-27, 4-93, 5-93, 6-136, 7-173, 8-183, 9-194.
DID NOT BAT: C.K. Langeveldt, A. Nel.
BOWLING: Umar Gul 6.3-2-20-2 (1nb, 2w); Mohammad Sami 5-0-13-2 (3w); Yasir Arafat 7-0-27-0 (1nb); Azhar Mahmood 4-0-18-0 (1nb); Danish Kaneria 10-1-35-1; Mohammad Hafeez 7-0-23-2; Shoaib Malik 5-0-35-2 (1nb, 4w); Shahid Afridi 4-0-15-0.
PAKISTAN:
Imran Nazir c Bosman b Nel 0
Mohammad Hafeez c Boucher b Langeveldt 49
Younis Khan lbw b Smith 79
Mohammad Yousuf not out 48
Shoaib Malik not out 16
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-5) 8
TOTAL (for three wkts, 44.3 overs) 200
FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-75, 3-175.
DID NOT BAT: Inzamam-u-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami, Azhar Mahmood, Danish Kaneria.
BOWLING: Pollock 7-1-19-0; Nel 7-2-21-1; Hall 5-0-23-0; Langeveldt 6-1-21-1; Telemachus 5-0-21-0; Kallis 2-0-15-0 (1w); Peterson 6-0-40-0; Smith 5.3-0-34-1 (4w); Prince 1-0-3-0.
RESULT: Pakistan won by seven wickets.
UMPIRES: P.D. Parker (Australia) and I.J. Gould (England).—AFP
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