LAHORE: Mukhtar Ahmed saved Pakistan ‘A’ from total collapse with his 78 runs and thus helped his side beat Kenya yet again in the fifth match to complete clean sweep of the series.

He was ably supported by pacer Zia-ul-Haq who clinched four wickets for the green-shirts to help them win the match by 108 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.

Mukhtar faced 115 deliveries and hit eight boundaries when wickets were falling from the other end. The entire Pakistan team returned to the dressing room on mere total of 169 in 42.2 overs.

Pakistan lost opener Mohammad Rizwan on the very first ball of the innings, caught by Owino off Nehemian, who finished with two for 39.

They were in great trouble as four of the top batsmen were back in the pavilion at the total of 71 in 21 overs. But Mukhtar, who was adjudged the Man-of-the-Match, stabled the innings during his 181-minute-long stay on the crease. 

Nelson Odiambo (2-22) and James Negoche (2-20) were the other key wicket takers for the visitors.

In reply, Kenyan batsmen gave another pathetic performance and bundled out for just 61 in 23.1 overs.

Zia, who had captured five wickets for nine runs in the previous match, was again unplayable by the visitors as he finished with four for eight in five overs.

Except unbeaten Emmanuel Bundi (15 not out) no other Kenyan batsmen could reach the double figures.  

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal sna­red two wickets for 25 in 6.1 overs as he could not bowl with his true potential.

It seemed he needed time to adjust with his remodelled bowling action.

Mir Hamza and Ahmed Jamal also took two wickets each for three and 21 runs respectively.

Later, Kenyan coach Steve Tikolo said his team got lot of experience through this five-match series and it also enjoyed great hospitality extended to them by the Pakistan Cricket Board. 

He said Pakistan was a major cricket nation and it had some good cricketers who could play for the national side.

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Fawad Alam said though the Kenya team was not a strong one, his players also exposed rival’s weaknesses with fine performance to earn big victories in all the matches.

He said Pakistan bowlers re­stricted the visitors from piling up runs while his batsmen also remained impressive. He added that his players did not show slackness and took all the matches seriously.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said that hopefully the series would help them to invite more international teams.

He said ambassadors of some countries including the Netherlands also visited the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday to personally examine the security arrangements. He said next year more countries would tour Pakistan.

Mukhtar received a prize of Rs20,000 for his outstanding performance. Pakistan captain Fawad was declared Man-of-the-Series and pocketed Rs25,000.

Babar Azam got the prize of Master Blaster. Zia was declared the best bowler of the series and received Rs25,000.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN ‘A’:

M. Rizwan c Owino b Nehemian 0

Umar Siddique c Bundi b Nehemian 12

Mukhtar Ahmed b Shem 78

Babar Azam run out 16

Fawad Alam lbw b James 7

Zohaib Ahmed lbw b Jedaviji 14

Saeed Ajmal c Otieno b James 16

Zia-ul-Haq b Nilson 0

Ahmed Jamal ct Morris b Nelson 0

Shahzaib Ahmed c Nehemian b Shem 10

Mir Hamza not out 6

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-6, NB-1) 10

TOTAL (all out, 42.2 overs) 169

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-28, 3-60, 4-71, 5-106, 6-129, 7-129, 8-129, 9-159.

BOWLING: Nehemian Odhiambo    7-1-39-2 (w2); Elijah Otieno 4-1-13-0 (w1); Nelson Odiambo 5-0-22-2 (w2); Emmanuel Bundi 4-0-18-0 (1nb); James Negoche 9-0-20-2; Jedavji Bhimji 9-0-31-1; Shem Nagoche 6.2-1-23-2.

KENYA:

Alex Obanda c Saeed b Zia 7

Ken Owino b Zia 1

Gurdeep Singh b Hamza 0

Morris Ouma lbw b Hamza 0

Nelson Odiambo b Jama l 1

NNehemiah Odiambo c Babar b Zia 0

Shem Nagoche b Zia 1

Emmanuel Bundi not out 15

Eljah Otieno c Umar b Saeed 9

Jedavji Bhhimji b Jamal 6

James Nagoche b Ajmal 5

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-11, NB-1) 16

TOTAL (all out, 23.1 overs) 61

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-6, 3-6, 4-10, 5-11, 6-13, 7-14, 8-26, 9-50.

BOWLING: Zia-ul-Haq 5-1-8-4; Mir Hamza 5-2-3-2 (w1); Ahmed Jamal 6-0-21-2 (w3); Saed Ajmal 6.1-25-2 (nb1, w7); Shahzaib Ahmed 1-1-0-0.

Published in Dawn December 21th , 2014