ISLAMABAD, Sept 28: A combination of gritty batting and accurate fast bowling steered the touring team of National Cricket Academy of Pakistan to a fine 19 runs victory in a low-scoring one-day match against Kenya at the Nairobi Gymkhana Cricket Ground on Saturday.

The victory enabled the touring side to take 2-0 winning lead in the three-match series.

Pakistan Academy team posted 190 in 48.4 overs and then shot out the rivals for a paltry 171 in 47.2 overs.

Ali Asad, batting at number six, provided the top knock for the Pakistanis after they won the toss and elected to bat first by making 43 off 65 balls with six hits to the fence.

Former Pakistan Under-19 captain Imad Wasim, batting at number eight, supported him well with 27 from 50 balls.

Pakistan’s first five batsmen went back to the pavilion rather cheaply as openers Raheel Majeed and Umer Amin made four and five runs respectively.

Skipper Khurram Manzoor and Fawad Alam, otherwise prolific with the bat on this tour, managed to score 17 and 14 runs respectively.

Fast bowler Thomas Odoyo was the main wicket-taker with four wickets for 14 runs from six overs before he limped off the field while Lameck Oyongo and Jimmy Kamande took two wicket each for 26 and 39 runs respectively.

Rapidly-upcoming fast bowler Anwar Ali led the bowling heroics for the Pakistanis with his four wickets for 20 runs in nine overs while his left-arm new-ball partner Mohammad Aamir claimed two for 22 runs in 7.2 overs.

Imad Wasim took three wickets for 25 from his left-arm spin as opener Alex Obanda made 26 off 43 balls with four boundaries.

Morris Ouma scored 27 off 46 balls with four boundaries.

Pakistani fielders supported their bowlers with some fantastic catches to fold up the Kenyan innings despite the top score of 30 by number nine batsman Nehemiah Odhiambo off 26 balls with two boundaries and one six.

Umpires Lalji Bhundia and Thomas Oyieko turned down some vociferous LBW appeals by Pakistani fielders and bowlers.

Pakistan manager Haroon Rasheed expressed satisfaction over the victory.

Summarised scores:

PAKISTAN ACADEMY 190 in 48.4 overs (Ali Asad 43, Imad Wasim 27; Thomas Odoyo 4-14, Lameck Oyongo 2-26, Jimmy Kamande 2- 39); KENYA 171 in 47.2 overs (Nehemiah Odhiambo 30, Morris Ouma 27; Anwar Ali 4-20, Imad Wasim 3-25, Mohammad Aamir 2-22).—APP