LEICESTER: Test opener Azhar Ali struck form as he and Fakhar Zaman both surpassed 70s while helping Pakistan reach 207-5 at tea on day one of the two-day fixture against Leicestershire here on Saturday.

In the only warm-up leading to next week’s two-match Test series against England, Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed elected to bat first after winning the toss at Grace Road. Azhar, who failed twice in the one-off Test against Ireland, compiled 73 from 127 balls in 194 minutes while hitting 13 fours.

Fakhar was more enterprising of the two openers as the flamboyant left-hander hit 14 boundaries in scoring 71 off 98 deliveries during the partnership of 128 in 117 minutes with Azhar.

Pakistan lost three more wickets before the break, losing Sami Aslam (8), Sarfraz (17) and Saad Ali (2).

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN (1st Innings):

Azhar Ali b Klein 73

Fakhar Zaman c Javid b Wells 71

Sami Aslam b Klein 8

Usman Salahuddin not out 22

Sarfraz Ahmed c Hill b Javid 17

Saad Ali c and b Ali 2

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-2, NB-8) 14

TOTAL (for five wkts, 57.3 overs) 207

FALL OF WKTS: 1-121, 2-156, 3-176, 4-199, 5-207.

TO BAT: Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Rahat Ali.

BOWLING (to-date): Klein 14-2-37-2 (2nb); Taylor 12-2-32-0 (2w); Jones 9-1-46-0; Wells 9-0-36-1 (2nb); Javid 8-2-28-1; Mike 4-0-19-0; Ali 1.3-0-5-1.

LEICESTERSHIRE: H.E. Dearden, S.T. Evans, A.M. Ali, L.J. Hill, T.J. Wells, A. Javid, H.J. Swindells, B.W.M. Mike, T.A.I. Taylor, D. Klein, R.A. Jones.

UMPIRES: P.J. Hartley and C.M. Watts.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2018