November 03, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 21, 1428

NEW DELHI, Nov 2: Left-handed batsman Salman Butt hit form with a sparkling half-century as Pakistan warmed up for the One-day International series against India with a six-wicket win over a local side here on Friday.

Salman, dropped from the playing eleven in all five matches of the preceding series against South Africa because of poor form, blazed his way to an 84-ball 83 studded with 13 fours and a six before opting to retire in the only warm-up game before the one-day series.

Imran Nazir (34) and Misbah-ul-Haq (39) also spent useful time in the middle as the visitors surpassed Delhi XI’s total of 213 for nine with 44 balls to spare.

The toothless bowling attack of the local side could not really test the visitors, who open the five-match series in Guwahati on Nov 5. The one-dayers will be followed by three Tests.

Earlier, fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar took one for 46 in a restrained performance after captain Shoaib Malik won the toss and elected to field.

Shoaib, sporting a new shorter haircut, refrained from going all out, apparently to save his firepower for tougher battles ahead.

The 32-year-old, whose new-ball partner Umar Gul finished with 31 off six overs and one wicket, assumes greater responsibility for Pakistan after the withdrawal of Mohammad Asif with an elbow problem.

Shoaib returned to international cricket against South Africa last month after 13 months on the sidelines due to a drugs ban, later rescinded, injuries and a 13-match suspension for hitting Asif with a bat.

Prolific batsman Younis Khan was the surprise bowling package, taking two wickets in as many balls with his medium-pace bowling.

For the local side, Rajat Bhatia top-scored with 75 off 106 balls including seven fours and a six. Shikhar Dhawan chipped in with 52 which included a six off Shoaib.

Pakistan were sharp in the field, enjoying three run-outs of the Delhi batsmen, who were keen to get among runs before the start of the domestic season on Sunday.

Shoaib Malik was pleased at the way his players used the only warm-up game ahead of the series against India.

“’We had a good practice game today, our bowlers had a decent workout,”’ said Malik.

“It’s great to have Shoaib Akhtar back in the team,”’ Malik said of his fastest bowler, who showed a glimpse of his lethal form in his only one-day outing against South Africa recently.

South Africa defeated Pakistan 3-2 in the one-day series. Malik says Pakistan had learnt from their mistakes and promised exciting cricket during the tour of India.

Scoreboard

DELHI:

A. Chopra lbw b Younis 16

G. Gambhir lbw b Umar Gul 4

S. Dhawan run out 52

M. Manhas b Younis 0

V. Kohli run out 5

R. Bhatia run out 75

M. Tehlan c and b Fawad 7

P. Bisht c Shoaib Akhtar b Afridi 2

Aditya Jain not out 14

G. Chabra c Sohail b Shoaib Akhtar 16

P. Sangwan not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-12, NB-4) 21

Total (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 213

FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-41, 3-41, 4-46, 5-137, 6-157, 7-173, 8-191, 9-200.

DID NOT BAT: Kunal Lal, A. Bhandari, C. Nanda.

BOWLING: Shoaib Akhtar 10-0-46-1 (1nb, 4w); Umar Gul 6-0-31-1 (2nb); Sohail Tanvir 10-2-25-0 (1nb, 1w); Younis Khan 6-0-25-2 (6w); Shoaib Malik 5-0-16-0; Fawad Alam 9-0-36-1; Shahid Afridi 4-0-29-1.

PAKISTAN:

Imran Nazir c Bhatia b Bhandari 34

Kamran Akmal lbw b Kunal Lal 5

Salman Butt retired hurt 83

Misbah-ul-Haq c Gambhir b Sangwan 39

Yasir Hameed not out 33

Fawad Alam not out 10

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-7, NB-1) 11

TOTAL (for four wkts, 42.4 overs) 215

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-66, 3-157, 4-182.

DID NOT BAT: Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Rehman, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul.

BOWLING: Kunal Lal 8-0-68-1 (1nb, 5w); Sangwan 9.4-0-61-1 (1w); Bhandari 7-1-25-1; Nanda 10-0-28-0; Manhas 8-0-30-0.

NOTE: Salman Butt retired hurt at 157-2.

RESULT: Pakistan won by six wickets.

UMPIRES: Anil Dandekar and R. Radhakrishnan.

TV UMPIRE: Balwant Sharma.

NOTE: 14 players per side (11 bat, 11 field).—Agencies